Betul Genc on Building People-Centric Organizations & Future-Ready Workplaces

As workplaces continue to evolve through digital transformation and changing workforce expectations, leaders are being challenged to create organisations that are both commercially strong and deeply people-centric.

Betul Genc, Senior Vice President and Country Head Australia & New Zealand at Adecco, has spent over two decades navigating this balance across recruitment, HR consultancy, hospitality, and real estate.

With extensive experience leading teams across global markets, she is passionate about workforce transformation, talent strategy, and building resilient organisations prepared for the future.

In this insightful interaction with Global Woman Leader, Betul shares her perspectives on women in leadership, emotional intelligence, workplace culture, and the qualities that will define successful leaders in the years ahead. 

Read the complete article for deeper insights.

Q. After leading across hospitality, real estate, and human capital industries, what has your journey taught you about women rising into enterprise leadership?

A. My journey has shown me that women rise into enterprise leadership when they’re given visibility, opportunity, and trust early on, and when they’re encouraged to build breadth, not just depth.

Across hospitality, real estate, and human capital, I’ve seen that leadership is rarely a single, linear path; it’s shaped by adaptability, resilience, and the ability to translate experience across different environments.

Throughout my career at Adecco, I’ve seen how powerful it is when organisations create real stepping stones, stretch roles, sponsorship, and exposure to commercial decision-making. For women especially, momentum often begins when they stop waiting for permission and start stepping forward before they  feel “ready”, because they already are

Q. Starting as a sales manager, what early career mindset helped you consistently earn influence, credibility, and leadership opportunities across industries?

A. Starting in sales shaped my mindset early. It taught me that credibility is earned through results, consistency, and a genuine understanding of people. More than anything, sales showed me how to build relationships, earn trust, and create real commitment. You quickly learn that listening matters more than speaking, solving problems matters more than selling, and integrity is what truly sets you apart. That mindset has stayed with me throughout my career, across industries and roles.

I have always believed that influence is not something a title gives you; it is something you earn through trust. For me, that trust comes from delivering consistently, adapting when circumstances change, and following through on what you say you will do.

At Adecco, that belief shapes how I lead and how we work. The strongest partnerships come from combining commercial discipline with genuine care for people. In my experience, performance and trust are not competing priorities; they strengthen one another, and the best outcomes happen when both are present.

Q. Having led transformation across people-focused businesses, how do you balance commercial outcomes while still building deeply human workplace cultures?

A. One of the advantages in my career has been working with organisations that share very similar principles, especially a strong people-first mindset. That has allowed me to stay focused on building culture while also managing commercial outcomes, rather than seeing the two as competing priorities. I have always believed that high-performing organisations are the ones where people feel supported, trusted, and clear on what success looks like.

When leaders invest in capability, safety, and inclusion, teams become more resilient, more engaged, and ultimately more productive. In my experience, strong commercial results are most sustainable when culture, clarity, and performance are built together.

Q. Many women leaders navigate multiple expectations professionally and personally. How did your leadership identity evolve while stepping into larger responsibilities?

A. My leadership identity evolved from being focused on delivery to being focused on enablement. Early in my career, I measured success by what I could personally achieve. As responsibilities grew across countries, teams, and functions, I learned that leadership is about creating the conditions for others to succeed: setting direction, removing obstacles, and building confidence at scale.

That shift also helped me navigate the multiple expectations many women carry professionally and personally; it reinforced the importance of clarity, boundaries, and strong support systems. At Adecco, I try to lead the same way: empower leaders close to the work, trust them with decisions, and keep the focus on outcomes, because sustainable performance is a team sport.

Q. With your experience in talent and workforce transformation, what leadership qualities will define successful organisations and leaders over the next decade?

A. Over the next decade, I believe the most successful leaders will be those who can balance adaptability and digital fluency with strong emotional intelligence. As AI and technology continue to reshape roles, productivity, and workforce structures, the organisations that stand out will be the ones that use these tools to strengthen human potential, not lose sight of it.

In my experience, emotional intelligence will be just as important as commercial acumen because leading well requires empathy, self-awareness, and the ability to bring people through change with clarity and confidence. The leaders who thrive will make decisions with speed, stay deeply people-centred, and build resilient teams that can learn, adapt, and grow together.

Betul Genc’s Five Key Insights on People-Centric Leadership

1. People-centric leadership drives performance

Sustainable success comes when trust, clarity, and culture are prioritised alongside business goals.

2. Leadership is earned, not given

Credibility is built through consistency, results, and the ability to build trust over time.

3. Leadership shifts from doing to enabling

Great leaders focus on empowering others, not just delivering outcomes themselves.

4. Culture and performance are deeply connected

Strong culture directly strengthens engagement, productivity, and business results.

5. The future of leadership is human + adaptive

Emotional intelligence and adaptability will define successful leaders in a tech-driven world.

LAST WORD: Advice for women aspiring to move from operational roles into enterprise leadership

From my own journey, I would encourage women to build breadth early, not just depth in one area. Seek opportunities that expose you to different parts of the business, whether that is operations, commercial leadership, or client-facing roles, because enterprise leadership comes from understanding how the whole organisation connects. Be intentional about visibility and do not wait to be noticed; let your impact be seen through results, judgement, and the way you lift others. I would also say that leadership is rarely achieved alone. Family support and the sharing of responsibilities at home can be powerful enablers, creating the space and confidence to step into bigger roles. For me, growth has come from backing myself, embracing complexity, and learning beyond my comfort zone.