As a teacher-turned-DEI advocate, Jiun Kimm brings a unique perspective to her role as Head of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Flatiron Health, a company dedicated to improving cancer treatment and research through data-driven insights. Her work has been instrumental in shaping the company’s policies and practices to ensure equitable patient care, leveraging her deep background in education and social advocacy to enhance organizational culture and employee engagement.

What are the essential ingredients for creating a workplace where employees are empowered and motivated to contribute? There are several aspects to how we support people at work. There's an emotional side, which involves how people feel, and a performance side, which focuses on what people do. Everyone wants to feel that they are creating value and supporting the mission.

I work closely with our talent and career development team, focusing much of our efforts on helping everyone understand their roles and goals. While this might seem simple, maintaining clarity can be challenging in a dynamic startup environment where roles often change and new managers are frequently introduced. This can lead to a loss of clarity about responsibilities and performance metrics.

It’s also a matter of equity—ensuring that all employees, regardless of their level or background, have equal clarity about their roles and contributions. Often, those who are more vocal or visible might receive more direction or clarity, but we strive to ensure that everyone receives equal treatment.

Why is company culture such a valuable investment? It's an especially critical question now as we navigate a challenging job market and see many companies facing hardships. Often, the first initiatives to be cut are related to people, team, or culture, as companies prioritize meeting financial targets. Culture is a key part of a business. What keeps people around is a connection to the culture and a desire to be there. That’s why it’s crucial for companies to continue investing in culture regardless of internal or external pressures. These investments lead to organizational health and business success by keeping employees engaged and satisfied, ready to contribute effectively.

Culture isn't just about making everyone happy or always having perfect days at work. It's fundamentally about fostering a sense of purpose and belonging, which are essential even on challenging days. This understanding underscores that a company's financial health is deeply connected to its cultural health, and they should not be viewed as separate entities. Successful companies recognize this and make informed decisions that support long-term sustainability rather than short-term gains.

What specific strategies do you use to build that community? A significant part of my work involves ensuring our performance management processes are equitable, which includes how managers are trained and how they assess development. This aligns closely with the support provided by our Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), which are vital for fostering a sense of community. The backlash against ERGs, like some criticisms you might have heard in the media, underscores the need to defend and maintain these programs because they offer crucial support to underrepresented individuals and ensure everyone can feel connected.

Another major initiative is our company-wide mentorship program, launched recently, which pairs senior leaders with underrepresented staff. Over six months, this program aims to support their daily roles and broader career development, with a dual focus on retention and nurturing our future leadership pipeline. The early engagement and results have been very promising.