Since joining, Benson has been working closely with the CEO and executive leadership team to help shape the organisation’s future operating model, organisation design and performance metrics in preparation for growth.
Prior to joining Edison Young People, Benson was HRD at Sunrise Senior Living UK and Gracewell Healthcare, a luxury care home provider operating 46 homes and 5,000 colleagues.
In her time there Benson played a pivotal role in the organisation’s successful navigation of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the challenges of this period, her direction, among other achievements, enabled a reduction in employee attrition by 23% and cut forecast recruitment and overtime costs by over £2 million.
These achievements earned the provider success at various prestigious awards, including winning Brilliance in Customer Relations at the BOC International Brilliance awards; a place on the shortlist for Best In-House Recruitment Team at the 2021 Recruiter Awards and being named as a finalist for the Best Resourcing Initiative, and People Team of the Year awards at the CIPD People Management Awards.
A specialist in transformation, Benson has held senior positions leading people and culture change programmes at Studio Retail, Acorn Care and Education, and the Co-operative Group.
Recommended reading:
How employee experience could be failing your people
HR not collecting enough data to understand employees
Sharon Benson ranked number one on the list of HR Most Influential practitioners in 2022.
Find the full list of HR Most Influential 2022 practitioners and thinkers here.
