Crossfield is Booming
Some of the staff and their pets from Boom Construction gather in the common-area of their new office in Crossfield.Story by Christina Waldner
Photos by Kurtis Kristianson
When Boom Construction Ltd. was looking around for a new location for its main office, they found the perfect home in Crossfield.
“While once we were a very small organization, we’re going through a process to grow and be well respected in the industry,” said Ryan Morse, Boom’s president. “We hope that will continue.”
Boom Construction opened its main office in Crossfield on McCool Cresc. in 2013. The oilfield construction company moved to the current location and brand new building on Laut Ave. in Feb. 2020. Between the Crossfield location and the second location in Grande Prairie, at that time, 168 staff worked for Boom, according to Morse - until the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020.
“Unfortunately for us, like lots in the energy sector, we had a tremendous amount of layoffs in spring of last year,” Morse said. “When we came back in June (2020)...it was like we were just finally moving into this office. It was like a ghost town around here. We just didn’t have any bodies. From a positive perspective, we’re now back to having more salaried employees than we did before COVID.”
Most of Boom’s Crossfield employees come from the surrounding area. Morse said the opportunity to live and work in their own community is a big plus for the company. Many of the employees are happy to take advantage of the opportunity not to have to commute to downtown Calgary.
“For us, it’s a lot more about community. It’s a lot more about the camaraderie and supporting one another,” Morse said. “It’s been really nice coming out to this facility for me personally.”
The building in Crossfield is an inviting and open facility, with exceptional views of the Rocky Mountains to the west and farmland to the north. Morse said the organization fosters a relaxed and informal but professional atmosphere.
One of the fundamentals of Boom’s organizational philosophy, according to Morse, is ensuring it hires the very best people. Peer-to-peer interviews during the hiring process are the norm, rather than the exception. It’s all about hiring likeminded individuals to join the team, both within the organization and outside the office.
“We have a lot of golfers. Definitely in the spring/summer time we have lots of group golf days and activities,” Morse said. “It’s a pet-friendly office here. I think the pets in the office makes it a much more calming and relaxing environment.”
Ultimately, Morse said Boom is invested in its employees in the same way he hopes they are invested in the company. Providing a dynamic workplace that allows for individual growth is an important part of that.
“People are going to pursue other opportunities elsewhere and seek opportunities that they feel might bring more value to their career and we never, ever want to hold anybody back from doing that,” he said. “We want to create a positive experience so that they want to come back. We want them working at other jobs, telling people how great their experience was at Boom.”