The Staffing Industry Veteran Leads with Empathy and Passion
Spherion, a leading staffing and recruiting franchise, has named Lisa Jock as senior vice president. Jock previously served as vice president of market sales and customer experience at Randstad, Spherion’s parent company, where she had worked for 17 years. In the new role, Jock develops and executes the staffing company’s strategic portfolio initiatives.
“I’m excited to build strong relationships with Spherion franchise owners and truly understand the unique dynamics of their local markets,” Jock said. “It’s gratifying to help owners align their passions and long-term visions to achieve sustainable success. Each market has its own story, and helping franchisees unlock their potential and leverage their passions is the most exciting part of this journey.”
Jock said her interactions with Spherion’s leadership team throughout her tenure with Randstad gave her insight into staffing and recruiting franchising. “Transitioning into the franchise community felt natural, given my experience in staffing and my passion for building relationships. Building relationships with franchisees – learning what drives them, what their goals are and what truly makes them tick – is incredibly rewarding, and I look forward to supporting these local business owners on a more personal level.”
She said she was grateful for opportunities to learn from experienced Randstad leaders and gain insight into their decision making. “Whether it was adapting to economic cycles or embracing new technologies, their leadership training was instrumental in preparing me for any business challenge in any industry,” Jock said. “The culture at Randstad gave me a deep understanding of collaboration, support, innovation and resilience, all of which are invaluable in my role at Spherion.”
Kathy George, president of Spherion, said she is thrilled to have Jock on board. “Having served as a senior vice president myself, I understand how critical this role is in supporting our franchisees and guiding their success,” George said. “Lisa’s deep expertise in the staffing industry and her strategic leadership skills will enable our franchisees to enhance their local impact. Her passion and dedication to supporting others make her the perfect fit to help our network thrive.”
Empathetic Leadership
Outside of her work with Spherion, Jock is active in several professional organizations, including serving as a member of the Hartford (Conn.) Women’s Leaders Association and an advisory board member for the University of New Haven’s Women in Leadership Executive program. Additionally, she is a Connecticut Manufacturing Ambassador and a member of the Women in Manufacturing Connecticut Chapter network since 2023. “These experiences shaped my passion for empowering others, particularly women in male-dominated industries,” Jock said. “Through my advisory roles, I strive to create pathways for others to succeed and build supportive networks and professional relationships.”
Jock said empathy is key to fostering success for Spherion franchise owners. “Franchise ownership is a rewarding but demanding journey. I always tell aspiring owners to ensure it aligns with their passion. Helping people find jobs must be something that fuels them,” she said. “I also believe resilience is key.”
About Spherion
Spherion was founded as City Car Unloaders by Leroy Dettman in 1946. Since then, the staffing and recruiting franchise has provided temporary, temp-to-hire, direct hire and managed hiring services to more than 4,000 businesses nationwide across 200-plus locations.
