Talk Talent To Me Genesys Chief DEI Officer Eric Thomas
How do you create attainable, measurable, and sustainable diversity goals? Eric Thomas is the Global Chief Diversity Officer of Genesys, a global market leader offering customer experience solutions, and manages its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. We hear why, and how, Eric uses data to provide useful and meaningful insights that help him not only drive his way forward but pivot when needed. Eric explains how to create a space for employees to have open conversations, and the measures to put in place to make sure their voices are heard. We begin to understand the importance of strategic conversations, how to promote systemic changes, and create plans for inclusive sustainability. Join us to start to understand how to ensure that you are focused on the right initiatives, recognize companies’ window-dressing attempts, and be an inclusive leader.
Key Points From This Episode:
- What is Genesys?
- How Eric ended up in Genesys.
- How Genesys responded and evolved after the George Floyd incident.
- Why Eric felt aligned with his role as Global Chief Diversity Officer.
- How to define a good DEI office.
- How to assess an organization for meaningful, genuine DEI commitments.
- How to see window dressing versus a real commitment.
- The impacts of the great reshuffle/great resignation.
- Why Eric is well suited for his role at Genesys.
- How Eric is different from traditional DEI/HR leaders.
- Why we need collective standards for DEI.
- How to see (and deal) with people who are unwilling to promote and create DEI.
- How Genesys is measuring its success rate for its implemented DEI goals.
- How Genesys handled responses received in its employee surveys.
- Genesys’ long-term goals.
- Three things to help you achieve your long-term diversity goals.
Tweetables:
“Window dressing is when you have a lot of good marketing on your website, but you can’t point to any real material gains that you're making either in representation or in employee sentiment.” — Eric Thomas [0:11:29]
“DEI is a true key business imperative; it’s not a nice-to-have. Companies that are treating it like a nice to have or take the window dressing approach, they are short-changing themselves.” — Eric Thomas [0:13:08]
“What I don’t think we have yet is a collective effort or body that comes together across the industries to set standards and define what good DEI looks like so that you don’t just have your own self to benchmark against.” — Eric Thomas [0:17:25]
“It isn’t just about hitting that [diversity] goal; it is the work that has to happen, the attainment of that goal, and the work that goes into play that allows you to put in place a sustainable set of operating procedures.” — Eric Thomas [0:31:44]
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: