Canada's Top Small & Medium Employers (2026) Magazine - Magazine - Page 50
50
CANADA’S TOP SMALL & MEDIUM EMPLOYERS (2026)
Employee appreciation is key at Patlon Aircraft
I
f you want to learn how to
create employee loyalty,
look no further than Patlon
Aircraft & Industries Ltd.
in Halton Hills, just west of
Toronto.
Managers and employees alike
sing the praises of how Patlon
makes its 41 employees feel special
and included to the point that
it’s hard to think of leaving. The
company offers products and
solutions to military, aerospace
and commercial operations across
Canada.
“Since I first stepped into the
building, I’ve been given every
support that I need to succeed
and be a success in my role,”
says Oyifien Francis, director of
quality assurance and continuous
improvement, who describes his
role as making sure employees are
meeting customer needs.
“In a nutshell, I’m like the police
that no one wants to see,” he jokes.
Before he joined Patlon as
a manager in 2022, Francis
worked in three previous roles in
Canada, but he says there is no
comparison. “I’ve been given a
free hand. I’ve been given support.
I’ve been given whatever I need to
succeed in this role,” he says.
“It’s just the trust they have
in you, letting you know that
whatever you’re doing is valuable
to the success of the business.
That means a lot to me.”
Indeed, he adds, “If I won a
million-dollar lottery, they would
see me the next day at work. I love
what I do.”
Samantha Arundell, an inside
sales coordinator at the company,
feels the same way.
She says she started in an entrylevel position on the commercial
buy and sell side of the job,
and when the person doing the
government contract that she
now takes care of left, the chief
operating officer, Jenn Gebel,
asked for someone to help.
“I thought, ‘I have a little bit
of time. I can try and help,’
and it went from there,” says
Arundell. “When you have a
really good boss, it’s easy to want
to help your boss to make things
better. Our management team is
phenomenal.”
It often seems the entire
company is focused on making
people feel appreciated for their
contributions in big and small
ways.
First, all employees — not just
those in the management stream
— are eligible for annual bonuses.
But it’s also the little things the
company does that make both
Francis and Arundell feel like a
part of a great team.
“Every three months, we do
a birthday celebration,” says
Arundell. “We have cake and
gift cards for all the birthday
people.”
She also appreciates that
spouses and significant others
or relatives are invited to join the
company’s special events, such
It’s just the trust they have in you, letting you know
that whatever you’re doing is valuable to the success
of the business.
— Oyifien Francis
Director of Quality Assurance and Continuous Improvement
Patlon Aircraft & Industries celebrates teamwork and encourages employees to explore different career paths
within the company.
