We may be biased, but Interactions is a great place to work. The AI industry is booming, and our technology is helping our customers improve the customer experience with an intelligent solution that turns customer service from frustrating to satisfying.
We spoke with our Chief People Officer, Elizabeth Lemons, about what it’s like to work here, and why this is such an exciting time to join our growing company.
Lauren Spinella: Corporate culture is a huge factor in today’s job market and you bring over three decades of HR experience to the team. How has the culture of Interactions evolved to what it is today?
Elizabeth Lemons: Interactions is a company that is focused on communication. We work to ensure great communication between our clients and their customers, which makes for better business and builds loyalty. Internally, this translates into a collaborative environment where everyone can contribute. I think one of the most important aspects of Interactions’ culture is our hard-working, dedicated, community feel. Our CEO has been uniquely focused on building and maintaining a culture where everyone has a voice and is able to pitch in where necessary and share great ideas. This results in a great deal of collaboration across departments and offices.
We have experienced tremendous growth, including the acquisition of the AT&T team, over the course of the past few years. Throughout, we have worked hard to ensure that what is core to our belief — that communication builds trust and gives people a sense that their voice matters — is integrated into all we do. Interactions focuses on hiring the very best people we can find and promoting from within, to continue to foster the kind of collaborative and driven culture we have developed so far. Our employees are some of the smartest and hardest working in their respective fields. It creates an atmosphere of positive energy and a drive to succeed that encourages new and existing employees alike.
LS: During your tenure, you’ve led a series of initiatives that have more than doubled the company’s workforce. How has Interactions maintained their start-up mentality as it has continued to scale?
EL: One unique aspect about Interactions that sets us apart from other companies in our industry is the tremendous opportunity to innovate. As a rapidly growing company, team members across all departments have the ability to make a real impact on the business.
Even as we have continued to grow, Interactions has maintained a reasonably flat organizational structure. This allows us to avoid unnecessary hierarchy and bureaucracy, so that work gets done faster and more efficiently. We have an open-door policy — meaning that our executive team is very approachable and involved — and this openness permeates throughout the rest of the company. For the growth phase that we’re in now, it requires our team to be willing to work together across departments to achieve goals, whether those tasks necessarily fit into their day-to-day roles or not. By focusing on hiring the very best talent, we have been able to create a culture of people who are committed to helping each other and the company succeed, and that has made a significant impact on Interactions success and growth to date.
LS: I know your team is very passionate about giving back. Can you elaborate on your team values?
EL: At Interactions, our company values are focused on four key pillars: ingenuity, impact, service, and passion. We believe in focusing our efforts on solutions that make a real difference in people’s lives. This translates into active community involvement across all of our offices; Interactions believes it is important to give our team the opportunity to volunteer in local programs. We support a wide array of charities, including but not limited to: Backpacks for Kids, Toys for Tots, Habitat for Humanity, local food banks in Franklin, Indianapolis and Austin, and various charity walks and runs.
LS: What types of activities are employees are involved in at or outside the office?
EL: Beyond the volunteer opportunities and charities we are involved with, our team members also participate in several activities outside of the office. Some examples across our different offices include softball and bowling teams.
LS: Want to dish the inside scoop on some of the perks your team has at the office?
EL: There’s a little known, but well loved secret to having our headquarters in Franklin, MA — we have an amazingly easy commute! But on top of that, we have 4 additional offices in the US — in Indiana, Texas, New Jersey and New York — to choose from. And if that isn’t enough location options, we also offer work from home options for remote employees. We truly want to make it easy for our team to focus on what they love, like their work, but also their families and other activities. We also support time away from work and provide eight personal holidays per year in addition to 3 weeks vacation. I hate to use this phrase, but it IS all about balance. In addition, we have some fun perks like office snacks and unlimited beverages.
LS: Finish this sentence – I love working at Interactions because…
I love working at Interactions because of the people here. I find that our employees are both authentic and and passionate about what they do for our clients and for our company. It’s also exciting to know I work for a company that is transforming the way companies communicate with their customers, since we all have experienced those frustrating conversations in the past.
Elizabeth Lemons, Chief People Officer
I love working at Interactions for a lot of reasons. Since we work with many different companies solving all sorts of different problems for them, the work stays interesting and challenging. Along with each new client, I continue to learn and grow. I also think I work with some of the most committed, interesting, smart and hardworking people I have ever worked with in my career and that makes it easier to dive in myself knowing there is a great team that has my back. This company has come a LONG way in the past 10 years, but it is more exciting now than it ever has been.
Michael Pell, Director of Design
I love working at Interactions because there are REAL opportunities for professional growth. Interactions heavily promotes internal hiring, which provided me with an opportunity to advance significantly within the workplace.
Michael Thompson, Associate Account Manager
I love working at Interactions because of the culture, the benefits, and the flexibility. Interactions is a great place filled with wonderful people who I enjoy working with. Our teams work very well together, and everyone is working to help each other succeed.
Shyanki Sandaradura, Corporate Recruiting Coordinator
I love working at Interactions because I love being part of giving someone that little smile they get when their issue is handled quickly and effectively, and they can get back to their life. Interactions’ technology touches millions of lives every day and the innovations we are bringing to the market means more little smiles all around the world. It’s a great feeling!
Ethan Selfridge, Principal Inventive Scientist
I love working at Interactions because of the people and the technology. The technology is solving a problem that almost everyone deals with on a daily basis, and the people here at Interactions are passionate about helping our customers and their customers achieve their goals. It’s a great company to be a part of and I’m happy to work here.
Stephanie Gardner, Senior Marketing Manager
I love working at Interactions because of the great energy and enthusiasm of my colleagues. We are all focused on helping companies deliver a positive customer service experience through productive conversations. Interactions has invested in the right people and technologies and it shows in the growth we are experiencing. My colleagues are willing to share their experiences and knowledge in order to help each other succeed.
Valerie Bonaldo, Market Intelligence Manager
If you’re interested in learning about our available job opportunities, visit the Interactions careers page.
