Here's Why Diversity and Inclusion Is Crucial for NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital
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As our society evolves into an altogether less homogenous one, the need for us to become more inclusive has never been more important than right now. Savvy companies know that making their workforce more diverse is more than a simple box-checking exercise — it has tangible benefits for all aspects of business.
Compare the innovation revenue reported by companies with good and bad diversity scores. Those with scores below the average report 26% average innovation revenue, while those with scores above the mean report 45%. The top three benefits reported from a more diverse and inclusive workforce were improved company culture, leadership, and greater innovation.
Nonetheless, there is still work to be done. A perception exists that factors such as age, disability, ethnicity, gender, family commitments, marital status, race, religion, and sexuality can still hamper a person's career prospects.
NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital understands this and has put diversity and inclusion at the fore of its recruitment efforts.
NewYork-Presbyterian
The nation is facing arguably its most divisive period in recent memory. With the political climate causing battle lines to be drawn and people retreating to ever more entrenched positions, NewYork-Presbyterian believes that it has never been more important to focus on diversity, inclusion, and a sense of belonging within its workforce.
"If you have something to contribute, it should not matter who you are or where you came from," said NewYork-Presbyterian President and CEO, Dr. Steven J. Corwin. "From a practical standpoint, a diverse workforce ensures that you have opinions from various backgrounds, age groups, and genders. That makes an organization stronger. It makes an organization more resilient. If everybody thinks the same way and is from the same background, that makes an organization more brittle, less innovative, less self-questioning."
NewYork-Presbyterian has an entire section of its website dedicated to celebrating this culture of diversity and inclusion. It's packed with content, including interviews, testimonials, and more where employees have the space to explain in detail what working at NewYork-Presbyterian means to them.
Common responses include the feeling of family employees have regarding their employment at NewYork-Presbyterian. Others say they feel that everyone in the organization, from the most senior doctors and C-suite executives to the custodians and cafeteria staff, have their backs and want them to succeed. Then there's the impression that everyone is exactly where they should be, and nobody has gained an unfair advantage or disadvantage due to any of the factors mentioned in our introduction. Finally, others acknowledge the advantage diversity brings in terms of the innovative ideas people of varying backgrounds can bring to the table.
"Being part of an organization that is committed to diversity and inclusion means that I am part of a family that celebrates and acknowledges members who have their own unique experiences," said Manager of Regulatory Activity for NewYork-Presbyterian Lawrence Hospital, Melody Madera. "These experiences translate into a multi-dimensional vantage point that drives the organization to change and evolve to meet the external communities we serve."
Welcome Back
As part of its commitment to diversity and inclusion, NewYork-Presbyterian has also hosted a successful GME Diversity Welcome Back, held at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center. The event was held for residency applicants for programs set to be run across the two organizations.
For the initial welcome session, Dr. Susana Morales, Vice Chair of Diversity and Director of the Diversity Center of Excellence and Dr. Anthony Hollenberg, Chair, Weill Department of Medicine and Physician-in-Chief, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, spoke of their institutional commitment to high-quality graduate medical education, diversity in medicine, and their commitment to health equity. Informative panel sessions were held for the residency applicants covering career development as well as questions and answers regarding numerous medical specialties and the training experience. Speakers included residency program directors, house staff, fellows, and key faculty.
Dr. Corwin also believes that diversity and inclusion not only benefits the culture at NewYork-Presbyterian but makes it a better provider of healthcare as well.
"When you're taking care of a patient and involved on the care team, it really doesn't matter what culture somebody came from — it matters how everyone interacts on the team," he said. "When we've had Celebrate Your Culture events, people get really jazzed about it. We weren't asking people to come to work and dispense with their culture. We were asking people to come to work and bring their culture with them and fit into a larger culture, where we all are working together to care for patients. By embracing diversity, inclusion, and belonging as core values, we are able to provide better care to our patients in all the communities we serve."
Final Thoughts
Diversity and inclusion are more than just buzzwords. As NewYork-Presbyterian have elegantly demonstrated, placing an emphasis on an inclusive culture has benefits for everyone within and without the organization.
You can hear NewYork-Presbyterian's Vice President of Talent Acquisition, David Crawford, speak at HR Healthcare 2020, taking place in June at the Hyatt Regency Austin, TX.
Download the agenda today for more information and insights.
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