Making a Difference in a Mission-Drive Organization
Pros
I've had the privilege of working for very mission-driven organizations in the past. I love coming to work and having a clear purpose. I can honestly say that I've felt more closely tied into the Health Catalyst mission than any other company that I've ever worked at. It's not that the previous companies didn't have clear missions - they truly did, but I feel more like I have the ability to contribute the Catalyst mission. Some of the things that I love about my job: Flexibility - I can do my job in the office or at home or other remote locations - as long as I stay effective then it doesn't matter where I am. No Micromanagement - I have information, tools, and help to do my job and I'm allowed to do it in a way that encourages creativity and helps me to simultaneously learn. Uncomfortable, in a good way - I have been at Health Catalyst for years and have always felt just the right level of support from my colleagues and managers, but that healthy level of uncomfortable that is a sign I'm always learning and growing. I've been given tasks and assignments that have truly challenged and continue to challenge me...and I like that. I get encouragement and help along the way but I get the pressure to deliver and deliver quality as well. Great opportunities for growth for nearly 4 years now of my employment! It looks to me like that will continue for years and years to come because Healthcare needs a lot of help and we'll continue to be challenged to make it better. Stellar Leadership - Our Executive team is comprised of really good folks that I like and trust. Not everything is sunny and perfect all of the time but challenges are communicated transparently and we work as a company to solve them. It is awesome to see leadership not as just people in positions but true leaders that I can look up to and learn from. Excellent Pay and Benefits - Health Catalyst definitely looks out for the their employees and is always looking for ways to make employment at HC a better experience. Since I started years ago I've only had more benefits heaped on and I was already happy back then. That's a great trend! I've been rewarded for working hard and doing my best to add value to what we do and it only makes me want to work even harder and add more value. I think this strategy of over-investing in employees really pays off and results in much more engaged employees, a better place to work, and a more successful organization overall. Focus on Employee attributes of Smart, Hard-working, and Humble - Because this is paramount in our hiring, I get to work alongside the best of the best. An honest focus on those attributes has attracted the best talent and that is one of the reasons I learn everyday in my job. I work with the best in the industry and those that are willing to share their knowledge and talents. This cannot be overstated - my co-workers are the best part about my job. They are people I genuinely like, trust, and respect. It makes work fun and very rewarding.
Cons
I'm obviously a fan of the company and love working at Catalyst so I don't have a lot of cons to share but here are some thoughts: Growing pains - There has been significant company growth since I started my employment. Some processes have to scale and change as that growth occurs. The company used to have a small company feel where everyone knows each other but that has noticeably and understandably dissipated and I miss it. This also means strategic reorganizations to keep our departments manageable and align ourselves better with changing markets. This results in undergoing a lot of change in a short amount of time. Rapid change is difficult and can be confusing at times. Things always turn out well when the dust settles but things do get quite dusty from time to time. I expect anyone unaccustomed to that rapid type of change would not be very happy at Health Catalyst. I understand it's necessity so I always adapt and try to do my part to make it work, so I've learned to adjust to it and more importantly to just expect it.
