Eric Thomas, Global Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer at Genesys, has a robust background in various leadership roles across different industries. With a bachelor’s degree in business from Eastern New Mexico University, along with an executive management certificate from the London Business School, Thomas’ diverse experiences uniquely position him to lead Genesys’ diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. This article delves into Thomas’ career, his transition to DEI, and the impactful DEI strategies he spearheads at Genesys.
Career Background
Before stepping into his current role, Thomas held positions that honed his leadership skills and prepared him for the DEI domain. “Prior to my current role, I served as vice president, Global Delivery, in Genesys Professional Services leading a team of more than 450 employees responsible for worldwide implementation services,” Thomas shares. His journey also includes pivotal roles at Alcatel-Lucent and Ericsson, where he drove employee resource groups focused on the unique challenges African Americans face in corporate settings.
Thomas’ transition into the DEI role was prompted by a company-wide cultural transformation initiated by Tony Bates, CEO of Genesys. “When Tony Bates took the helm of the company in 2019, he initiated a cultural transformation with the goal to establish a more empathetic organization. In the aftermath of George Floyd’s murder, those efforts were accelerated and my current role as Global DE&I Officer, and the office of DE&I were created,” Thomas explains.
Establishing the DEI Framework
Thomas’ role as Global DE&I Officer was a newly created position at Genesys, emphasizing the company’s commitment to DEI. “This was a brand-new position that was created to focus on developing Inclusion and Belonging programs that could be implemented across our organization,” says Thomas. The DEI office acts as an advisor, helping individual teams develop and customize their DEI strategies.
Promoting DEI at Genesys
At Genesys, DEI is embedded into the company culture and operational processes. “Building a welcoming, inclusive culture isn’t the responsibility of one team or a box we need to check,” Thomas says. “It’s fundamental to ensuring everyone—regardless of who they are or what job they do—is a full member of Genesys and can reach their highest potential.” The company is driven to close equity and representation gaps and foster an environment where every employee’s uniqueness is appreciated.
To achieve these goals, Genesys integrates DEI across its operations, from recruitment and hiring to onboarding and promotion. “We work to embed Diversity, Equity and Inclusion principles in all we do, including how we recruit, hire, onboard and promote employees to build diverse pipelines and increase the number of women and underrepresented employees across our teams—and among the Genesys leadership ranks,” Thomas says.
Employee Resource Groups (ERGs)
Genesys supports the formation of inclusion groups, which are employee-led efforts aimed at building supportive communities within the workplace. “The goal of these groups is to provide employees who are members of underrepresented demographic groups and their allies with the time, space, and budget to meet and promote a common cause,” says Thomas. Each inclusion group also has a sponsor to help support initiatives throughout the year.
Unique DEI Practices
One of Genesys’ standout practices in DEI is its commitment to continuous feedback and adaptation. “At Genesys, we make a point to consistently ask our employees for feedback, so we always have a pulse on how our programs are working,” Thomas highlights. This feedback-driven approach helps DEI programs remain effective and inclusive, adapting to meet the needs of all employees.
Supporting Diverse Workers
Thomas underscores the importance of a diverse and inclusive workplace for innovation and profitability. “We continually see that diverse and inclusive companies are better at attracting and retaining top talent who can meet the needs of a wide range of customers,” he states. Genesys strives to promote honest dialogue, addresses non-inclusive behavior, and raises awareness of privilege to support its diverse workforce.
The company also brings in experts to inform and stretch employees’ thinking, using employee feedback to improve inclusivity. “We bring in experts who can inform us and stretch our thinking and we also are committed to gathering employee feedback and using that input to determine what we can do better,” adds Thomas.
Recruitment and Hiring Processes
Genesys takes proactive steps to support fair and equitable hiring processes. “We require managers to participate in unconscious bias training to learn how to recognize and mitigate bias in the workplace,” explains Thomas. Additionally, the company uses technology to analyze job descriptions and redact personally identifiable information from resumes, ensuring candidates are evaluated based on their skills and expertise alone.
Fostering an Inclusive Culture
Creating a culture of empathy and inclusion is at the core of Genesys’ DEI efforts. “Our culture of inclusion is bolstered by our commitment to one another and to ourselves, as well as an unwavering desire to build a better and more just organization,” says Thomas. Transparency is key to Genesys’ approach, with formalized diversity training and efforts to embed equity throughout the talent management framework.
Thomas also highlights the global aspect of Genesys’ DEI strategy. “We spoke with each of our global offices about challenges facing those specific offices. Because what is considered a challenge in the United States, may not be the same in India or the UK,” he explains. This global perspective helps Genesys create DEI goals that are impactful across all regions.
Eric Thomas’ leadership in DEI at Genesys demonstrates the company’s commitment to creating a truly inclusive workplace. Through continuous feedback, supportive employee resource groups, innovative hiring practices, and a global perspective, Genesys is making significant strides in fostering a diverse and equitable environment. Thomas’ efforts highlight the importance of empathy, transparency, and adaptability in driving DEI success.
Lin Grensing-Pophal is a Contributing Editor at HR Daily Advisor.