About

Think HR is boring and dull? Tired of hearing HR people bang on about policies, procedures and risk (yawn)? Would you prefer HR to be about fun, creativity and positivity instead?

So would we!

It’s not just your employees who need to buy in to your vision and your values. The businesses you partner with can also have a huge impact on how you achieve your goals, so they need to get on board and really connect with you.

To help you decide whether we’re the sort of people you want to hang out with, here’s a little bit more about who we are and what we’re about.

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Sally Bendtson

Founder of Limelight HR

I dreamt of being an actress when I was a kid. I had a few small TV parts, did my LAMDA exams and loads of plays and festivals but after studying drama at university I lost the desire to make a career out of it. But I kept my passion for all things creative and it’s why I love working with and supporting so many creative businesses and people.

I also love adventure. In my 20s, before moving from Harrogate to London, I backpacked around the world (without a mobile phone!) and lived in Sydney for year. Travelling opened my eyes to the importance of experiences, and the joy of learning something unexpected from someone you were lucky enough to cross paths with.

Living in London I got back in to acting and performed plays with a local Balham drama group and joined a group with my BBC colleagues which culminated in a life highlight of performing at the Brighton Fringe Festival.

It was whilst in London that my HR career kicked off. And then I realised that having a passion for life, being able to have a laugh and being genuinely interested in other people and points of view meant I could quickly gain trust, build relationships and add real value.

“For me HR isn’t about ticking boxes or following processes and procedures, it’s about people.”

I always found it strange that so many HR professionals led with their own agenda and made interactions mechanical or boring. They often seemed incapable of building genuine relationships or talking about anything other than policy requirements. I often heard ‘you’re not like any HR person I’ve worked with before’. But that meant I could make a real difference where previously there had been a complete aversion to HR! There are lot of misconceptions about HR. Many business owners think it’s about maternity policies and sickness policies and avoiding tribunals. And of course, that is part of it, but actually it’s about getting the best out of your people and building brilliant teams.

Now I’m back in Harrogate, with my son, running a business because I care about doing good things with good people. In the last few years I threw myself in to TikTok to keep up the creativity (I actually went viral, I’m not just a tragic Mum on there) and, because I like a challenge, I gave up drinking for a year. I get how difficult it is managing the work/life balance, trying to get everything done in the time that you have and getting the right people on board to help you do the stuff you don’t want to, or can’t do. And that’s where I want to help you.

Meet the Team

In the early days it was just me but like every business the key to my continued growth was building a fantastic team around me. Now I have a really strong team of people supporting me, the business and our clients with the common purpose of making it easy, enjoyable and fun.

Francesca

I am all about happiness. I believe that you should treat others as you would want to be treated. People spend a lot of their time at work so they should be happy while they are working. Employees that are happy and feel appreciated will be far more productive. At Limelight HR its about supporting small businesses to bring out the best in their staff.

In my spare time I spend time with my family and friends. I am a very sociable person and enjoy meals out, family gatherings and days out having fun. I am always looking into ways to be healthier, including the latest healthy eating programme, increasing exercise and looking after our mental health.

Hazel

I’ve always been called to help. It’s my bag, always has been. For me, there is nothing better than the satisfaction of knowing I’ve helped fix something or guide or support someone and my entire career I’ve picked roles where I could do precisely that. I’ve worked in some fabulous companies over the years, from customer services, communications and then HR, where I felt I could really make a difference. I share Sally’s values and will to help business owners create great places to work, where people are respected and treated well. I think HR people are in a privileged position to enable business owners to create this.

I’m very much a behind the scenes kind of gal, so there is plenty of limelight to go around.

If I could live anywhere in the world, I’d love to live in a (luxury) cabin in Canada, somewhere remote and coastal. I literally can’t stand watching people eat, but I do love good food, good company, a glass of red wine, and I am completely dog crazy!

Lisa

When I was growing up, I think I wanted to teach – and I almost do, but in a very different way! I’ve been lucky to have spent 25 years working in businesses, retail and HR teams and have witnessed first-hand the impact on individual and team performance by having a focus on Talent, Learning and Development.

At Limelight HR we are all about supporting people to be their best at work and that fits perfectly with me. If we give our people the time, attention, and development they need or want, as a business that investment will pay back big time.

It’s all about the long-term difference strong talent programmes can make to your people and your business. There is nothing more rewarding than working with individuals or groups to help them grow, develop and learn. I especially love creating tailor-made solutions which help people have their ‘I didn’t think I could do that’ or those “a-ha” light bulb moments.

Out of work, you will find me either walking my dog at weekends, catching up with friends over a nice glass of wine or travelling to see family members who are not lucky enough to live in gorgeous Yorkshire!

Lou

I first became interested in HR in a placement year from my Business Studies course at University. I worked in a people-centric energy business; Fairness, openness and honesty were at the heart of everything we did. I want to continue to work in businesses that treat people with respect and integrity. Working for Limelight HR is a great way to continue this in my career, Limelight support businesses in managing their people fairly and with respect getting the most out of their teams. We are a team who do HR differently!

In my spare time, I play the role of Mum to my two beautiful, but slightly feral, children and my fur-baby, Walter. I am an outdoorsy person and love to spend time walking with my family going on adventures in the woods. We love to spot the Red Kites flying over Harrogate. A little interesting fact is that I have a Twin Sister! No, we’re not identical... and I’m the oldest!

Emma

I’ve worked in Reward and Benefits for over 20 years and over that time I’ve worked with a wide range of companies from Retail and Technology to Not for Profit and from start ups to large global organisations.

I’m passionate about making Reward and benefits easier to understand and more accessible for both employees and employers.

Over the years I’ve seen how powerful Reward can be at making employees feel valued and cared for by the company. I’ve also seen that often, with very little or no cost, that making the most of the benefits that are already in place and changing the way that they’re communicated can have a huge impact on the way the team sees their package and the company.

Seeing employee’s reactions to the changes is the most rewarding part of the work that I do. I also aim to make it as fun as possible, even when we’re talking about pensions!

When I’m not working, you can find me walking my dog Luna by the sea, exploring new places or checking out some standup comedy or women’s football (I used to play but my knees aren’t up to it anymore!).