How Oxford International Education Group Cut HR Admin with Employee Self Service (People Inc.)

---

CASESTUDY

From HR admin bottlenecks to self-serve efficiency:

How Oxford International Education Group (OIEG) implemented Employee Self Service for People Inc. to reduce HR workload, improve data accuracy, and streamline absence, holiday, and appraisals.

Delivered by PeopleFirstHR — UK HR software implementation specialists

---

Results at a glance

Reduced HR admin time by shifting routine updates (personal details, holiday, absence) to employees and managers

Faster, more accurate updates for payroll (less chasing, fewer manual changes)

Improved visibility for line managers via self-service reporting

Digitised appraisal process using an online workflow (replicating existing paper forms)

Built a scalable platform to add future self-service functionality (expenses, documents, org charts)

---

BACKGROUND

Client snapshot

Organisation: Oxford International Education Group (OIEG)

Sector: Education / international education provider

Workforce: ~400 employees + ~500 seasonal workers

Core HR system: People Inc. HR (in place for 2 years)

Previously implemented: People Inc. Web Recruitment Module (2016)

Primary goal: Reduce HR admin burden by expanding People Inc. with Employee Self Service

---

THE CHALLENGE

A large workforce created a constant flow of HR admin

OIEG had already standardised core employee records in People Inc. for a sizeable workforce — including a substantial seasonal population. With headcount at this scale, even “small” admin tasks quickly add up: changes to addresses, bank details, next of kin information, holiday requests, sickness tracking, and appraisal paperwork.

The HR team wanted to reduce time spent on repetitive admin — and improve the speed and accuracy of updates that ultimately feed downstream processes such as payroll.

They also needed a solution that worked for both permanent employees and seasonal workers, without creating extra steps for HR.

---

THE SOLUTION

Implement Employee Self Service for People Inc.

Because OIEG had already seen strong results from People Inc. (and the Web Recruitment module), the next step was to expand People Inc. to shift more day-to-day HR activity away from the HR team and into a controlled self-service workflow.

During an onsite meeting, PeopleFirstHR and OIEG identified the key requirements for an Employee Self Service rollout:

• Allow employees and seasonal workers to update personal details (address, next of kin, bank details)
• Track holidays, including entitlement/allowances
• Record sickness/absence
• Manage appraisals online
• Capture timesheet information electronically
• Generate line manager reminders for key tasks (return-to-work, probation end, etc.)
• Provide useful reporting for line managers
• Log key employee-detail changes to support faster payroll updates

Outcome: The People Inc. Self Service module covered many of these requirements immediately, and where OIEG had a specific appraisal process already in place, People Inc.’s flexibility allowed PeopleFirstHR to develop a tailored online appraisal workflow that replicated existing paper forms — but removed the paperwork.

---

IMPLEMENTATION

Structured rollout focused on real admin savings

The implementation was designed around adoption and time-saving — not “extra features”. The priority was to digitalise the high-frequency admin tasks that were consuming HR time week after week.

Key parts of delivery included:

• Configuring People Inc. Employee Self Service to support employee and seasonal-worker updates
• Enabling holiday and absence recording through self-service workflows
• Supporting timesheet capture electronically
• Developing a custom online appraisal system (mirroring existing paper forms) so managers and employees could complete appraisals digitally
• Setting up the framework for manager reminders and reporting to drive consistency and reduce follow-up work

---

IMPACT

“A huge positive impact” on HR efficiency and effectiveness

The HR impact was immediate — and measurable in time saved.

“The Employee Self Service module has had a huge positive impact on the HR team at Oxford International Education Group. We have saved a significant amount time and effort in many areas from recording holiday and absence, capturing time sheet information and completing Employee Appraisals within a very short time.”

— HR Director, Oxford International Education Group

Just as importantly, self-service improved the HR team’s ability to focus on higher-value work:

“Because this information is now managed electronically by employees and managers it frees up more of our time enabling us to be more pro-active and effective as a HR Function therefore helping the business move forward.”

— HR Director , Oxford International Education Group

In short: OIEG didn’t just “add a module” — they removed a recurring operational drag on HR capacity.

---

Key benefits of Employee Self Service for OIEG (People Inc.)

• Less HR admin: fewer routine updates handled manually
• More accurate employee data: updates captured directly and logged
• Better manager accountability: online workflows + access to reporting
• More consistent HR processes: appraisals and absence tracking standardised
• Payroll-friendly changes: key updates easier to surface and act on quickly

---

PLANS FOR THE FUTURE

Expanding self-service functionality in phase two

Because Employee Self Service is scalable, OIEG identified additional opportunities to reduce admin and improve access to HR information over time, including:

• Tracking employee expenses
• Distributing key HR documents (e.g., employee handbook)
• Producing organisational charts

These items were flagged as a separate phase to assess and implement.

---

Ready to reduce HR admin in your organisation?

If you’re using People Inc. HR and want to reduce the day-to-day admin burden on HR (holiday, absence, employee changes, appraisals, timesheets), Employee Self Service can deliver rapid efficiency gains — particularly in organisations with large or seasonal workforces.

Talk to PeopleFirstHR today about implementing Employee Self Service for People Inc.

☎ 0330 223 6180	✉ enquiries@peoplefirsthr.co.uk

---

FAQ’s

What is Employee Self Service in People Inc. HR?

Employee Self Service is an add-on module for People Inc. HR that allows employees (and where appropriate, managers) to manage HR tasks digitally — such as updating personal details, recording holiday/absence, completing appraisals, and more — reducing manual HR admin.

Is Employee Self Service suitable for seasonal workforces?

Yes — self-service workflows can be set up to support a combination of permanent employees and seasonal workers, helping HR teams manage high-volume admin more efficiently.

Can you digitise an existing paper-based appraisal process?

Yes. People Inc. is flexible enough to replicate existing appraisal forms in an online workflow, allowing managers and employees to complete appraisals digitally while keeping the structure familiar.