Delivering consistent workforce management capabilities
David White, Divisional Registrar for Social Sciences and sponsor of the Workforce Management Project, shares his vision for the initiative, updates on the rollout of HR Self-Service features, and gives a preview of what’s in the pipeline for departments
We know that currently, departments manage leave, absence, and timesheets in various ways - some using external systems, others relying on manual processes. The Workforce Management project, delivered by HR Systems in partnership with IT Services, aims to standardise these practices, provide valuable data insights, and offer staff a consistent experience, regardless of the department they work in.
Since the pilot in 2021, it’s been quite a journey, but we’re now well-positioned to accelerate progress to deliver University-wide implementation in 2025. This work supports the People and Finance Service Transformation Programme, by aligning our systems and processes with our digital transformation goals; helping us to move towards more common ways of working, and improving the underlying data capture in the system. It will also help to simplify and de-risk a future system change.
I’m pleased to share that the rollout is well underway. Wave 1 was completed in October, with 19 departments now live with the leave and absence functionality in PeopleXD. Wave 2 is planned for the Spring, and all remaining departments are expected to onboard by the end of the year.
While HR teams will receive practical guidance from the project team, I’d like to highlight the broader objectives and benefits of this University-wide initiative.
Why the change?
Current approaches may work locally, but they lose the benefits of being integrated with the University’s HR system and add costs. Additionally, the lack of consolidated data restricts the University’s ability to identify trends and address staff needs.
Benefits of using HR Self-Service to manage leave and absence
Adopting leave and absence features in HR Self-Service provides an integrated, cost-effective, and consistent approach to workforce management. It enhances the staff experience by centralising leave, absence, payslips, P60s, and employment data in one place, improves workforce trend analysis to support wellbeing initiatives, ensures policy alignment and compliance to reduce risks, and delivers cost savings of over £100,000 annually by replacing independent systems.
Alongside managing leave and absence, we’re excited to introduce new features this year: a mobile app will be available soon for easier access without needing a VPN, and timesheets, designed for staff working on a claimed-hours basis.
Tailored support for departments
We understand that PeopleXD features aren’t a like-for-like replacement for systems currently in use, particularly for managing certain absence types, and will work differently. When your department joins, clear staff communications will be provided, and the project team will work with you to offer tailored support and address specific needs.
Next steps and timelines
Wave 1 taught us valuable lessons about departments’ needs, helping us refine processes and communications to better support them. You can view the full go-live schedule on the project webpages.
Thank you for your cooperation and support as we move towards a unified, efficient approach to workforce management at Oxford.
For more information, visit the HR Self-Service website.
If you have any questions, email the project team.
