The What, Who, Why, and How of Job Sharing: Everything You Need to Know to Make Job Sharing Work

Job sharing is an arrangement where two individuals work part-time in a full-time job. It offers employers a cost-effective and flexible way to attract, retain, and motivate employees while increasing productivity, improving customer service, and fostering creativity.

When it comes to job shares, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. The advantage of job sharing lies in its ability to be customized to suit both partners by dividing the role based on:

1. Skills: Job partners leverage their individual strengths and skills, with distinct and separate tasks within the partnership. This combination of skills often surpasses those of a single person, highlighting the value of teamwork.
2. Time: Job partners share responsibilities and tasks while creating their own working patterns within the fixed hours required. Working patterns are typically determined by the role’s demands, with a seamless handover being crucial. Common approaches include splitting weeks with an overlapping day or alternating weeks.
3. Responsibilities: Job partners divide the role according to their responsibility for different elements of the job, allowing simultaneous execution. This flexible allocation of work promotes problem-solving and efficiency.

Benefits of Job Sharing:

• Cost Savings: Businesses can hire one employee instead of two, reducing training costs, payroll taxes, benefits packages, and worker compensation insurance premiums. It also provides scheduling and workload management flexibility.
• Improved Work/Life Balance: Both employees enjoy more time with family and engaging in other activities while maintaining their salary.
• Greater Job Flexibility: Job sharing enables customization of responsibilities to better suit individual needs and interests, leading to increased job satisfaction and engagement.
• Increased Gender Equity: Job sharing empowers women and helps close the gender pay gap by allowing women to stay in senior roles and progress in their careers while balancing family responsibilities.
• A Diverse Workforce: Businesses benefit from a diverse workforce by tapping into a wider talent pool, fostering learning and growth between partners.
• Improved Productivity: Job shares maintain energy and focus throughout the week, preserving knowledge, skills, and networks. Onboarding for new partners is seamless and accelerated.

Common Myths About Job Sharing:

1. Myth 1: Job Sharing Leads to Lower Productivity: Research shows that job sharing actually increases productivity as each partner is more motivated to excel.
2. Myth 2: Job Sharing Is Only for Mothers With Children: Job sharing is suitable for any employee seeking flexibility and shared responsibility, not limited to mothers with children.
3. Myth 3: It Negatively Affects Gender Equity: On the contrary, job sharing improves gender equity by enabling more women to join the workforce without compromising their family responsibilities.

Implementing a Successful Job-Sharing Program: Creating successful job-sharing programs requires planning, attention to detail, and effective communication among all parties involved. Consider factors such as workload compatibility, communication systems, support from management, and a managed transition period. Here are some tips for building a program that works:

• Establish Clear Guidelines & Expectations: Define responsibilities for both partners, considering caring responsibilities, skill levels, and areas of expertise. This ensures appropriate division of work and allows partners to work to their strengths, minimizing misunderstandings or conflicts of interest.
• Make a Job Share Agreement: Document working structure, handover procedures, holiday arrangements, emergency leave, conflict resolution, partnership review, assessment, and exiting protocols.
• Communication: Foster clear lines of communication between employees to facilitate smooth transitions when one employee leaves and another takes over. Allocating a day where both parties work together can aid in seamless collaboration.

For more information on how to make job sharing work for your business, contact us today!