This VP Has Some Must-Read Advice for Working Mothers Who Want to Advance Their Careers

Like most working mothers, Anna Santolucito, the Division Vice President of Major Accounts Sales at ADP, had to find the balance between work and life that worked best for her. Lucky for her, the supportive work environment at ADP — where she’s advanced her career over the last 15 years — allows her to maintain a healthy one. 

And she’s not the only person to strike a satisfying balance at the HR software company. “Working mothers thrive in an environment where they see other working mothers finding success in a variety of different ways in the workplace, and you can find this dynamic at ADP,” she said.

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Since becoming a mother 12 years ago, Santolucito has found clear communication to be key in allowing her to show up for her work and life.

 “When I stopped focusing on all the reasons why I couldn’t make something work and instead focused on figuring out what I needed to make it work and communicated it to those involved, it changed everything for me at work and at home,” she shared.

Santolucito also shared with us why ADP is a particularly great place to be a working mom, how her role has made her a better employee, and her #1 tip for new moms navigating the balance of working and mothering. Check out her advice below.

How long have you been in your current role, and what were you doing previously? 

I have been in my current role for two and a half years. Previously, I was a VP of Sales running the San Francisco Bay Area team.

Why do you think your company is a particularly great place to be a working mom? 

ADP is a great place for working moms because mothers have the support they need to thrive here. I have been with ADP for 15 years and have been a working mother for 12 of them. As someone who’s worked in a variety of different roles with varying degrees of responsibility for a number of different leaders, I have always been able to flex my schedule to meet the needs of my family. My leaders have always been supportive of me finding the right balance between work and home life. 

And it’s important to note — it’s not always a perfect balance. Some weeks I have to work more and some weeks my family gets more of my time, but for the most part, I get to make that choice and that’s in large part because of support at all levels of leadership at ADP.  

I have about 150 associates in my division, roughly half are female and the large majority of those females are mothers. The flexibility, understanding and acceptance of my role as a working mother has cascaded throughout my space and I have mothers working in every capacity in my business — from outside sales reps, to front line sales leaders and up to the VP ranks that report directly to me. It has allowed me to build a pretty diverse and dynamic team that has produced some incredible results. At the end of the day, working mothers thrive in an environment where they see other working mothers finding success in a variety of different ways in the workplace and you can find this dynamic at ADP.

How has your role as a mom made you a better employee? 

I am much more focused and efficient at work. I am also constantly prioritizing what I work on throughout the day in order to get the most critical and important tasks done so that when I get home, I can focus on my family. I am also a lot more patient and empathetic now that I am a mom which I think certainly helps me make better business decisions at work.

What’s your go-to stress-relief activity or routine? 

If a work day is getting particularly stressful, I make it a point to get outside — even if it’s just for a few minutes. It does wonders to get some fresh air when you are feeling stressed! Other than that, I try to get into the gym 2-3 days a week. I do power yoga at least once a week to clear my brain and that’s an incredible stress reliever as well!

What are you especially good at as a mom? What about at work?  

I am a tough mom with high expectations so my kids don’t get away with much. They know that they own their choices and the results that come along with them and at the end of the day, they are accountable for the choices they make. 

One thing I work on every day with my kids is teaching them that it’s OK to make mistakes as long as you learn from them and do better moving forward. Your mistakes or bad decisions won’t define you if you learn from them and adjust accordingly. I view my job as a mother much like I view my job at work — my responsibility is not to tell my direct reports or my children what to do — my responsibility is to help guide them to make the right decisions for themselves.

What’s your #1 tip for new moms who are navigating the delicate balance of working and mothering? 

Tell people what you need to be successful, healthy and happy — at work and at home! At work, this could mean telling your boss what kinds of flexibility you need with your schedule, what job responsibilities you really enjoy, what promotions you would be interested in, etc. And at home, it could be asking for help with the kids, ordering out a few times a week instead of cooking every night, or finding a trusted family member, friend, or neighbor to care for kids after school so you can work late or enjoy free time. When I stopped focusing on all the reasons why I couldn’t make something work and instead focused on figuring out what I needed to make it work and communicated it to those involved, it changed everything for me at work and at home.  

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