Many businesses in America like to cut corners whenever it comes to safety. They have a quantity over the quality mindset that can oftentimes be detrimental to the company itself and the workers that are employed there. Fortunately, there is one individual who is an advocate for safety that is making waves in the industry. Robert Butchike is a health and safety consultant that is here to make a difference in the workplace. Robert is here today to talk more about his aspirations and show us what makes him so successful. While safety is one of the most important aspects of a well-organized workplace, a time comes when one must move on to new ventures. That is how SaskBarber came to life.
Hello Robert, can you please tell us a bit about you?
Hello. My name is Robert Butchike and I am a health and safety consultant and entrepreneur. I have been working in the industry for over two decades and have recently branched out and opened a barbershop. I believe we do our best work if we are relaxed and not worrying whether or not we will be hurt. I like to instill these values towards our teammates whenever I am working with groups of people. It helps to create a more relaxed and productive environment that is injury-free.
I am also an advocate for personal care and grooming. One of the biggest proponents of self-care is self-image. I recommend looking up SaskBarber to help you with your style.
What are your focus areas and why?
My areas of focus are health and safety. I knew that I wanted to work in this industry whenever I was very young. I was always looking out for my coworkers when I used to work on difficult job sites. Unfortunately, I witnessed a lot of accidents that could have been prevented whenever I was much younger. These accidents ended up hurting men and women and prevented them from going to work. This is why I have made it my mission to create a better workspace by providing safety consulting services to businesses of all sizes. I do want to mention that I also implement these safety features in our own shop as well. SaskBarber hasn’t had any accidents since its inception.
How do you describe “JATEC” in a few words? Then also please describe SaskBarber for our audience.
JATEC is a power company that puts people first and focuses on building communities. Our goal is to bring communities together through the power of philanthropic work. I believe that communities have the power to change the world around them. We are simply providing the tools that they need to become successful.
SaskBarber, in our mission statement, says, “SaskBarber was born out of a desperate need for a barbershop that believes in the value and story behind a client’s haircut/hairstyle. Dope Haircuts and hairstyles are what our clients come in for. Our goal is to ensure the service we provide mirrors our mission to bring to life the silent story behind every haircut and hairstyle.” And we stick to our mission.
Where do you think your work is making an impact?
My work makes an impact wherever there are people. Employees are the most important aspect of any company. They should be treated with respect and courtesy. Unfortunately, too many companies do not give their employees the respect that they deserve. I make a big impact wherever I work due to the fact that I care about people. I always do my best to reach out to everyone that I work with and lift them up professionally.
How did you build up a creative spirit, do you believe you were born with it or you developed it?
I believe in nurture over nature. I developed a sense of compassion for other people at a very young age. It is here that I discovered that one of my best qualities about myself was caring for other people. I nurtured this ability whenever I was young in order to survive a rough upbringing. Fortunately, this creativity has allowed me to develop a lifelong and rewarding career that I enjoy. I am very grateful for the events that helped me become who I am.
Where do you see the company in the next 5 years?
I see us expanding our outreach and finding more ways to make an impact in our community. Our community is an incredibly important thing to us and we want to find more creative ways to make a positive impact. JATEC will always push the envelope whenever it comes to philanthropic work. We want to continue to lead the way with a torch that burns brightly for all to see. This is also our hope through SaskBarber. Working with the knowledge I have, I can see this happening.
What can you tell young HR managers who are just starting their careers?
Patience is the key to success. You may find yourself in situations where you feel like you don’t have any control. Unfortunately, this happens more often than you think. Take a deep breath whenever you feel like a situation is getting out of control and find ways to think rationally. It is important that you act as a responsible leader and not as someone who is emotionally out of control. This is what separates great HR team leaders from exemplary ones.
What made you open SaskBarber?
Well as stated in our mission statement, there was a desperate need for a barbershop that works for the customer and not for their own benefit alone. Our community was lacking this, and I took the opportunity to open SaskBarber and see the continued growth of our community. Besides, have I mentioned we create some “Dope” haircuts?
What are you most excited about at the moment?
I am working on an outreach program through our shop right now that will help the community grow even more. At SaskBarber our community is important to us and through our outreach program, we hope to reach young men and women to work towards their fullest potential. We also hope that the rest of the community uses our services for their own good like self-care.
The last word or final thoughts?
Make sure to surround yourself with people who support you. People may seem like they are your friends at first. Unfortunately, not everyone has your back in the long-run. Be sure to guard yourself whenever you are noticing results come your way. People may come to you whenever you see results.
Unfortunately, not everyone wants to genuinely be your friend. Keep an eye out for those who will use you for your talents. I know that I can trust my barbers at SaskBarber because I have been friends with them before we opened the shop. They have always had my back and have watched me grow. Keep an eye out for people like this and keep them close.
