During the month of March, in celebration of Women’s History Month, we’ll be putting a spotlight on some of the talented women who lead TalentWorld every day. From the woman at helm – whom you’ll meet today – to a Regional Director that got her start as a Temporary Associate.
Our intention with this series is to give their voice a platform; an opportunity to be radically honest about their career journey, the successes and the struggles. For so many important reasons, but really only one – so they can be heard.
Meet Tracy...
Tracy Rocca is National Vice-President of TalentWorld – GardaWorld’s staffing business in Canada. As a leader, Tracy is passionate about creating a positive work environment. She believes that kindness, respect, and hard work are non-negotiable aspects of TalentWorld’s company culture. Values she’s developed throughout her 29 years in the staffing industry.
How it started…
How did your career in staffing begin?
I started my staffing career right out of the University of Saskatchewan. With much of it spent working with some of the top 5 agencies globally. I started as a receptionist and worked my way up to being responsible for accounts over $20M and now, National Vice-President.
What was your biggest struggle early in your career?
I intentionally spent the early part of my career taking lateral opportunities versus moving up the corporate ladder because I wanted to spend more time at home with my family.
I even took a break from staffing once, for 18 months. I had three children under the age of 8 and I thought becoming an entrepreneur was the way to have more balance. Turns out owning a hockey rink and hockey school is not less work. And something about staffing always pulled me back – we are changing people’s lives every day. Nothing beats that. Not even getting to drive a Zamboni.
How it’s going…
What do you think shaped you into the leader you are today?
As it turns out, those lateral moves I made at the beginning of my career were of benefit. I was able to learn and explore the business from every level, which is how I can genuinely lead with empathy. I can put myself in the shoes of my team. When they say there’s an issue – I get it.
I would add that learning to be a better listener has also had a positive impact on me as a leader. Most people talk 80% of the time and listen 20% of the time. In leadership, it needs to be the opposite because that’s what fosters a high performing team culture – when people feel heard and are given a say in what shapes their day, they are more driven.
What led you to TalentWorld?
Having worked at some of the top 5 agencies in the world, I experienced first-hand the move towards speed and automation over people. So, I was attracted to GardaWorld as an organization because of the entrepreneurial spirit. I thought the brilliant move to diversify into staffing was an opportunity for us to build something different – a new kind of staffing agency, one that brings back a sense of depth.
We’re trying not to lose sight of what truly matters, especially in the age of technology. We want to prioritize the human part of the industry every time we try to fill a new job. We use technology to enhance the human process, not take away from it. And everyone person here lives and breathes that.
I love everything about TalentWorld! I love the people. I think we have the best people in the business. Because our people care. Our commitment to doing the right thing by everyone: our clients, our associates, and our internal team. We collaborate as a partnership every day.
Where do we want it to go…
Do you believe women encounter more obstacles because of their gender in their careers?
The numbers speak for themselves. Looking at the Fortune 500 companies, there are only 42 female CEOs currently. Don’t get me wrong, I know progress is being made – that number is double what it was in 2016. But for context, it didn’t hit double digits until 2006. With the workforce being made up of almost 50% women in North America, there should be more women in leadership roles.
There is no denying that women have to work harder to prove themselves in many organizations. Which I find so interesting because time and time again we see that women-led organizations tend to outperform their male-led counterparts in terms of both financial performance and customer satisfaction ratings. There is also evidence that suggests employee engagement levels tend to be much higher in female-run organizations due to increased trust between leaders and employees. This is because women often place greater emphasis on empathy when managing teams, which helps create a positive work environment where everyone feels valued and respected.
This is why I’ve made it a mission throughout my career to elevate other women. Coaching and mentoring people is a passion and a strength of mine, but I also like to win. And this strategy has proved successful for me in the past.
Do you have any advice you want to share?
So many things! But the one thing that sticks out is to be gentler with my younger self. I always wondered if I made the right choice between balancing my family and work. I worried that choosing to spend more time at home meant I wasn’t developing fast enough in my career. But the reality is – we can’t do it all. Even if society tries to make us think we can.
If I could go back, I would tell that young mom of three to enjoy every single moment. And not to fuss over the lateral moves. Those are what shaped who she is today.
