Diversity in the Workplace: A Principle-Driven Approach to Broadening the Talent Pool

Diversity in the Workplace:
A Principle-Driven Approach to Broadening
the Talent Pool Dan Burton, Leslie Hough Falk, Linda Llewelyn

© 2016 Health Catalyst
Proprietary. Feel free to share but we would appreciate a Health Catalyst citation.
Diversity in the Workplace
The business case for diversity, equity,
and inclusivity in any organization, in
any industry, is compelling; it’s backed
by the personal stories we hear in our
everyday lives and on the news—and
it’s backed by data:
More innovation, creativity, and knowledge sharing
Increased sales revenue and greater market share
Increased productivity and quality
Higher return on equity
Lower turnover
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Credible organizations (e.g., Gallup, Scientific
American, and MIT) consistently publish
studies that show how diversity in the
workplace improves financial outcomes,
strengthens team member commitment, and
increases creativity.
Yet, despite the strong business case for
inclusive workplaces, a lack of diversity
continues to be a problem in almost every
industry, and healthcare is no exception.

Consider, for example, the lack of gender diversity in technology—one of the
fastest growing sectors in the U.S.; the facts are discouraging:
Women hold less than 26 percent of U.S. technology jobs and earn,
on average, just 85 percent of what men in those positions earn.
By 2020, there will be 1.4 million computing-related jobs in the U.S.
and women will likely only fill 3 percent of those jobs.
The number of female STEM (science, technology,
engineering, and math) graduates (in the U.S.) has
declined from 37 percent in 1984 to 18 percent in 2016.
Women are two times more likely than men to
quit a high-tech position (41 percent to 17 percent).
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The list of reasons for this lack of gender
diversity in technology is long and includes
challenges on both ends of the pipeline,
from limited early exposure to computing
skills, to unsupportive work environments.
And this women-in-technology segment is
just one of many underrepresented groups
in healthcare that needs our attention and
our commitment to change the status quo.

Healthcare’s workplace diversity
challenges, gender-related or otherwise,
are significant and complex.
We can start to turn the tide with inclusivity
initiatives that are grounded in the same
principles that work together to create a
healthy culture: respect, humility,
transparency, and advocacy.

Defining Diversity
Health Catalyst’s leadership team defines
and values diversity in its broadest terms,
recognizing all differences as
representations of diversity.
This includes more traditional definitions
of diversity, as measured based on
differences like gender, race, ethnicity, or
sexual orientation, but also recognizes a
near-limitless set of additional differences
in life experiences and perspectives that
should also be respected and valued.

Defining Diversity
This broader definition challenges us to
ensure that all our differences are
appreciated, respected, and learned from,
and requires us to think systemically about
how we create an enabling infrastructure
to tap into the power of these differences.

A Principle-Driven Approach to Harnessing the
Power of our Diversity
As we considered how to systemically
harness the power of all our team members’
differences, we recognized that it’s a
monumental effort requiring a principle-
driven mindset, and that the anchor of our
ability to tap into this power is embedded
in our company’s culture.
We fundamentally believe that our
differences are what give us the broad
perspective we need to accomplish our
company’s mission.

We believe the most effective diversity
initiatives are grounded in the same
principles that shape an organization’s
culture, and that initiatives with a principle-
driven foundation are more likely to be
adopted and embraced by team members.

Health Catalyst’s culture centers on core
principles, including respect, humility,
transparency, and advocacy, that motivate
everything we do; every team member must
embody these principles, so we can deliver
on our promise to our team members and
our customers.
We take this principle-based approach
because we want a talented, diverse group of
people to feel empowered to join our team,
stay on our team, and thrive on our team—to
do the best work of their careers here.

As we examine the work we are doing to
enable our company to be strengthened by
diversity, we can tie our initiatives back to
four guiding principles:
• Respect
• Humility
• Transparency
• Advocacy

Respect
Respect is a timeless principle, and perhaps
the most important one because it underlies
every other principle.
Respect communicates that we appreciate,
value, and believe we can learn from each
of our colleagues.
Respect means we value one another’s
unique characteristics and experiences, and
assumes that we will be made stronger as
we benefit from these diverse
characteristics and experiences.

Humility
Humility helps us be great listeners as we
interact with one another.
The humility that makes us not just open but
eager to learn from each team member and
each interaction, including opportunities for
improvement, lays the groundwork for an
inclusive culture that values diversity.
Everyone in an organization, from entry level
data analysts to seasoned executives, must
embrace the continual giving and receiving
of honest, constructive feedback: what’s
working and what can be improved.

Humility
Health Catalyst is motivated by and benefits
from data and analytics-driven improvement.
Humility allows us to actively pursue the
facts—positive or negative—so we can alter
our trajectory when we need to.
For example, every six months, we ask our
team members to take a Gallup survey—we
actively solicit feedback about what’s working
for our people and what could be improved.

Humility
Regarding the concrete example we
discuss in this article—women in
technology—we know our industry isn’t
fully tapping into the female talent pool,
and we’re mindful of this meaningful
segment in our ongoing team member
engagement surveys.
We want the results, we pay attention to
the results, and we transparently share
the results so we can engage everyone to
continuously improve.

Transparency
Transparency is effortless when there’s good news
to share. Although not as easy to put into practice
when there are major problems to address, this is
when transparency matters most.
Transparency is inclusivity in practice; it invites
every team member to be a part of the solution
and, ultimately, holds leadership accountable for
solving problems.
Transparency is the mechanism through which
we exercise humility, admit that we don’t always
get it right, and, most importantly, commit to
making it right.

Transparency
When Health Catalyst learned that certain
male team members weren’t willing to be
alone with female team members while on
business-related travel (e.g., traveling to and
from business meetings by car, etc.), we
relied on transparency and humility to
understand and correct this troubling behavior.
We openly discussed the problem in a meeting
with all team members, clearly stating that all
team members must be treated as equals
and as respected colleagues.

Transparency
We made it clear that this behavior—and the
lack of respect that allowed it to happen—
was inconsistent with our core principles.
And we invited every team member to talk
about the problem, anonymously or openly.
Transparency coupled with humility made it
possible for us to get back on our intended
trajectory of creating an inclusive culture
driven by respect.

Advocacy
A fundamental part of Health Catalyst’s goal to be a
best place to work is the hope that when team
members look back on their careers they view their
time at Health Catalyst as when they did their best,
most meaningful work.
A fundamental part of enabling this engagement and
productivity in our team members involves a deep
level of trust between team members and
management.
This trust is strengthened each time a team member
senses that their manager is also their advocate
committed to enabling their long-term development.

Advocacy
Health Catalyst advocates for and empowers its team
members through a variety of initiatives, including:
• financial assistance to pursue professional
development opportunities
• flexible work schedules, including generous
work-from-home allowances
• unlimited vacation time
• affinity groups that are open to everyone,
can be started by any team member for any
underrepresented group (women, LGBTQ, etc.)
• mentorship program

Advocacy
We have an incredible opportunity to
attract and retain a diverse group of
talented people.
We know our principles-driven culture is
the way we enable our current team
members to thrive at Health Catalyst.
But we don’t wish to stop there—we also
desire to contribute to broadening the
talent pool of individuals who consider
healthcare and/or technology careers as
their first choice.

Broadening the Talent Pool for Technology Careers
As organizations increasingly acknowledge the compelling benefits of
broadening the talent pool, and start building and empowering their diverse
workforces, there are several powerful initiatives that can help:
• Connect Team Members with Mentors
• Implement Equitable Practices
(Hiring, Compensation, etc.)
• Create a Supportive Work Environment

Connect Team Members with Mentors
Mentorship ties back to one of our diversity
aims: empowering women in technology.
Understanding that 93 percent of women
executives attribute much of their success to
having an informal career advisory team, we
see mentorship as one of many tools for
attracting and retaining a diverse team.
Health Catalyst’s mentorship program, open
to all team members, is an empowerment
tool that connects people interested in sharing
their knowledge and experiences with people
interested in learning from others.

Connect Team Members with Mentors
As with any goal-oriented program, ground rules are
helpful. Our mentees are responsible for the following:
Assuming ownership of the relationship.
Committing to expanding their level of
growth opportunities.
Being open and receptive to new ways of learning.
Being open and accepting of feedback; being
reflective; making meaningful change as
opportunities arise.
Maintaining confidentiality.
Practicing active listening.
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Implement Equitable Practices (Hiring, Compensation, etc.)
Fairness and respect are synonymous.
HR-related practices driven by fairness, from
ethical hiring practices to flexible hours that
encourage work-life integration, add up to create
a supportive work environment that minimizes
the personal sacrifices team members
make when they come to work.
Many women cite their company’s outdated
maternity leave policies, lack of flexible work
arrangements or salaries that are inadequate
to cover the costs of childcare as their main
reasons for exiting the tech industry,”
FORBES

Health Catalyst’s policies demonstrate our commitment to
equity and being a best place to work:
Family leave, including generous and flexible
maternity and paternity leave policies.
Unlimited paid time off.
Flexible work hours and the ability
to work remotely.
Wellness program (onsite gym and allowance
to spend on anything wellness related).
Pay equity and above-average compensation.
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Underrepresented groups struggle to get hired.
To tackle this issue, Health Catalyst is
implementing an unconscious bias training
to help hiring managers (and any
interested team member) understand
the role subconscious bias plays in the
hiring process.
We offer training that exposes people’s
weaknesses and taps into every team
member’s humility and willingness to improve.

Health Catalyst is also launching a Diversity
and Inclusion training for all team members, and
working to implement interview and selection
equal pay initiatives, which include practices like
not asking candidates about their pay histories.

Partner with Organizations Committed to Improving Diversity
The best cities for women in technology also
have conventions and coalitions that support
women in technology.
Organizations can partner with and learn
from these groups that are equally committed
to diversity and have the experience to
share pragmatic lessons learned.
Health Catalyst partners with and
sponsors several organizations as
part of its initiative to empower and
advance women in technology.

Partner with Organizations Committed to Improving Diversity
Women Tech Council (WTC), a national organization focused on the
economic impact of women in driving high growth for the technology
sector through developing programs that propel the economic pipeline
from K-12 to the C-suite.” The WTC offers mentoring, visibility, and
networking to more than 10,000 women and men working in technology.
Kids Code program based on the curriculum from Code.org, a “non-profit
dedicated to expanding access to computer science and increasing
participation by women and underrepresented minorities.”
College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME)
and its Women of CHIME, a “group of CHIME women leaders who
share networking and leadership skills with other women CIOs and
senior healthcare IT executives.”
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Create a Supportive Work Environment
Regarding the litany of things organizations
can do to eliminate disparities for diverse
segments of the talent pool, some are easier
to influence than others.
To help address the early pipeline challenges
diverse groups endure to get where they are
in their careers, Health Catalyst team
members volunteer with kids through a
program called Kids Code to help achieve
Code.org’s vision that “every student in every
school should have the opportunity to learn
computer science.”

Many Health Catalyst team members donate
their time to underrepresented groups within their
own communities, on their own time.
One team member spends several weeks every
summer mentoring young, underprivileged
women; women up against the early pipeline
challenges that contribute to the gender gap we
see in so many industries today.

Health Catalyst’s advocacy-oriented culture led
to the development of several affinity groups
designed to support under-represented team
members (women, LGBTQ, etc.) by giving them
time to connect, share challenges and
strategies, and offer educational opportunities.
No single initiative solves the diversity problem;
every HR policy, every training, every
networking event adds up to a cumulative
impact on inclusivity.
The work is never done; we have a long way to
go before we start shrinking the diversity divide.

Shrinking the Diversity Divide: Healthcare’s Imperative
Healthcare organizations committed to
building diverse, engaged teams should
start by taking a close look at their cultures:
the foundation for any inclusivity initiative.
Equipped with a principles-driven culture
that motivates everything they do,
internally and externally, and strategic
initiatives that reflect an awareness of
what diverse groups, such as women in
technology, are up against every day, any
organization in any industry can start doing
its part to start closing the diversity gap.

Shrinking the Diversity Divide: Healthcare’s Imperative
Increasing diversity and inclusivity in
healthcare is more than just the right thing
to do: it’s an intelligent business decision
that improves business outcomes.
As an outcomes improvement company,
Health Catalyst will continue to relentlessly
commit to its mission to make all team
members—regardless of gender, race,
experience, or perspective—feel
respected, supported, and treated as
equals across the entirety of their
careers at Health Catalyst.

For more information:
“This book is a fantastic piece of work”
– Robert Lindeman MD, FAAP, Chief Physician Quality Officer

More about this topic
Link to original article for a more in-depth discussion.
Diversity in the Workplace: A Principle-Driven Approach to Broadening the Talent Pool
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Jeff Selander, Chief People Officer
Communication in Healthcare Culture: Eight Steps to Uphold Outcomes Improvement
David Grauer, Senior VP Professional Services
Three Must-Haves for Generating Innovation in Healthcare IT
Matt McCourt, Sales, VP
Understanding the Culture and Core of Health Catalyst: One Man's Perspective
Kyle Salyers, Senior VP
Careers
Picture yourself at Health Catalyst

Dan Burton serves as CEO of Health Catalyst, a healthcare data warehousing and
analytics company. He became involved with Health Catalyst when it was a three-person
startup. Mr. Burton is also the co-founder of HB Ventures, the first investor in Health
Catalyst. Prior to Health Catalyst and HB Ventures, Mr. Burton led the Corporate Strategy
Group at Micron Technology (NASDAQ: MU). He also spent eight years with Hewlett-
Packard (NYSE: HPQ) in strategy and marketing management roles. Before joining HP he was an
associate consultant with the Boston Consulting Group, where he advised healthcare systems and
technology companies. Mr. Burton holds an MBA with high distinction from Harvard University, where
he was elected a George F. Baker Scholar, and a BS in economics, magna cum laude, from BYU.
Other Clinical Quality Improvement Resources
Click to read additional information at www.healthcatalyst.com
Dan Burton

Dr. Leslie Hough Falk is a senior vice president and a member of the Health Catalyst
leadership team. She holds a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) from Boise State University,
and an MBA and a BS in Engineering from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. She is also
certified as a Project Management Professional (PMP), Green Belt Lean, and Information
Privacy Professional (CIPP, CIPP/IT). Dr. Falk has a varied professional background from
bedside pediatric critical care, nursing administration, medical product research & development, and
education in hospital and industry settings, nursing informatics, biomedical engineering, and marketing.
Other Clinical Quality Improvement Resources
Click to read additional information at www.healthcatalyst.com
Leslie Hough Falk
Joined Health Catalyst in June 2013 as the HR Manager. Prior to coming to Health Catalyst,
she worked for Fairchild Semiconductor, BD Medical, Discover Financial Services, Morgan
Stanley and United Health Group in various HR capacities. Linda has a Bachelor’s Degree in
Psychology from the University of Utah.
Linda Llewelyn

Diversity in the Workplace: A Principle-Driven Approach to Broadening the Talent Pool

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