Meet Emily Oxford, one half of Slice Solutions – the South Yorkshire business making HR, Recruitment and VA support feel refreshingly human. unLTD caught up with Emily to hear about her journey so far, why she fell in love with HR – and what it takes to build a people-first business.
“I didn’t know when I left school exactly what I wanted to do,” Emily Oxford tells unLTD over a coffee meeting near our Kelham Island HQ. “I went and worked at Morrisons on a checkout for a year while I figured it all out.”
Funnily enough, that experience would turn out to shape Emily’s career – and her perspective – in unexpected ways. “I was sitting on the checkout and seeing all these staff… thinking it wouldn’t operate without the people stacking the products, me scanning them, someone in admin making sure the sales went through. That’s what got me thinking – it was people that really interested me.”
Fast forward to today, and people and process remain at the heart of things for Emily. As one half of Slice Solutions, the fast-growing HR, Recruitment and VA consultancy, she co-leads the business with long-time friend Lisa Betsworth.
Her career path got underway with a degree in HR Management from Lincoln University and a placement with Lincolnshire Police. “That was my first real HR experience – civilians and police officers, a massive department, and I even based my dissertation on it.”
What followed was a self-confessed “tick box exercise” to put her theoretical training into practice across as many industries as possible – from leisure to manufacturing. “I went from police to Center Parcs, to a crisp manufacturer, to car manufacturing… unionised places, non-unionised, fluffy and corporate. I wanted to experience different scenarios; it can only be a positive thing.”
But despite the variety, a clear thread emerged in how she viewed good HR. “On paper, HR is the same everywhere – it’s all based on employment law. But good HR uses those processes to look after people and treat them fairly. Bad HR uses it as a punishment – that’s where the ‘Grim Reaper’ reputation comes from.”
Emily became determined to push back against that image – particularly after entering consultancy. “I didn’t want them thinking, ‘Oh, Emily’s here – someone’s about to get fired.’ ”
After having her first child, Emily’s experience in the manufacturing sector highlighted the limits of traditional employment. “I asked for part-time hours and it was like, ‘What is this witchcraft?’” she laughs.
A following move into outsourced HR consultancy offered not just flexibility, but professional fulfilment. “It was better than being in-house. I was dealing with a GP one minute, an estate agent the next. I got to tick all the boxes – in the same job.”
But like Lisa, Emily also hit a ceiling – one that ultimately led to Slice. “I was in a brilliant team, but it wasn’t my business. The only next stage was to do it myself.”
After a brief return to employment, Emily knew it was time. She and Lisa had stayed connected through South Yorkshire’s business scene – and shared the same down-to-earth, no-nonsense approach to people and process.
“We’re not corporate and stuffy. We have a laugh, and don’t make things more difficult than they need to be,” says Emily. “We knew we could make something better together.”
Honouring a “people first” commitment, Emily works closely with clients to understand their culture, challenges and goals – and tailors her advice accordingly. “I’ll give different advice on what seems like the same situation in two different businesses, because I know the culture, what they’re trying to achieve and how their people work,” she says. “You just don’t get that from a call centre or a template you’ve downloaded online.”
Today, Slice’s bespoke HR service now represents the majority of the business. Their support ranges from contracts and handbooks to handling disputes and tribunals. But the real magic, she says, is in the relationship with clients.
“We’re not just there when the tribunal papers land. We want to stop it getting that far. There’s no judgment – and no such thing as a stupid question. We’re just real, straightforward people helping businesses get it right.”
If your business is buried in admin, stretched too thin or bogged down by people challenges and day-to-day distractions, it might be time to speak to Slice.
Their Virtual Assistance, Recruitment and HR services are designed to help businesses achieve more – with a lot less stress. Find out more about what they offer at www.slicesolutions.co.uk, call 01709 213013 or email info@slicesolutions.co.uk.
