I met Joyce Russell through C200, a caring and supportive organization for C-suite women, and the generations of women who are coming after us. Joyce is one of those people who simply sparkles, lighting up every room she enters. I hope her story lights your way, as it has mine.
Susan: What were you doing before at Adecco, and what are you doing today?
Joyce: In 2018, I was President of Adecco Staffing, a 2.3-billion-dollar business for the Adecco Group. I was traveling 80% of the time with a tremendous amount of pressure.
What I do today is completely different. I lead the Adecco Group US Foundation and have for the past five years, with a focus on addressing the skills gap in America through upskilling programs, creating gender equality in the workforce, and giving back to charities to improve the lives of American workers.
Susan: I think we begin asking deeper questions of our work and our lives around forty or fifty. Do you agree? Was it around this time that you made the change?
Joyce: I was not thinking about making a change. I was happy and fully in the game. The company came to me with an opportunity to create and run the Adecco Group US Foundation. My first reaction was “No!”
Susan: Why that reaction?
Joyce: I had never run a foundation nor thought about a different career! At the time, I was leading 1,800 colleagues, and transitioning to a small foundation seemed like a stunning change.
Susan: How did you go about discerning if this new role could be a fit?
Joyce: The first thing I had to do was to take my ego out of the equation. I spoke to my husband about it, and he encouraged me to carefully consider the opportunity. It made me think about the legacy I wanted to leave and the impact I could make in a different role.
Susan: So how, specifically is your work today fulfilling in ways you couldn’t see when you took on the job? How has it changed you, made you a fulfilled leader?
Joyce: I never could have imagined the way my life has changed for the better. The silver lining was time. Time to spend with my dad who became very ill in 2020. Time to write my book (Put A Cherry on Top) which had always been my dream. Time to spend with my husband and family – I had never been able to sit down and enjoy watching a TV show with my husband! And ultimately, the shift has made me a better human being.
Susan: In what ways?
Joyce: I lead a team of young mothers and I’m able to give them time and flexibility. My dad always said, “You vote with your time.” I purposely think of how I can make their lives easier. One thing we have is a schedule I enforce of “8 to 4, and out the door.” In addition, we only work half a day on Fridays.
I also bring lunch for my team every day, which saves them the cost of buying it and the time prep of bringing it. It’s just one less thing they have to worry about. I care about each of them, and I try to express that in all the ways I can.
Joyce is a reminder of what a wise advisor once said to me: “Susan, the person with the power must be the person with the grace.” Joyce embodies those, and we can too.
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