Job Sharing Meaning & Arrangements

With technology development, workplace dynamics have shifted. We witness remote work thriving and then big comebacks to the office environment after the pandemic.

Job-sharing employment is another interesting work approach that’s been around for some time. Let’s make a zoom-out. Does job sharing look good in real life as it looks good on paper?

What is a job sharing?

Job partners have prorated salaries and paid time off, and shared duties. The full-time schedule can work out as 50/50, 60/40, or alike, overlapping or not.

The sharing of a job stimulates the whole job’s success and allows individuals to preserve their life balance. The latter is often the reason why employees job-share in the first place.

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Job sharers and work-life balance

The work-life balance trends among job sharers. Generally, employees sharing jobs feel happier and more satisfied with their occupations, and less often search for another job.

Moreover, working reduced hours helps employees accumulate some job experience for a resume. Once you come back to a full-time job workforce, it’s great to have your resume in order. Job sharing or a part-time job will be well-received by a future employer rather than a gap in your work experience.

Job sharing and life circumstances

Employees can leave the company if not given the opportunity to reduce their workload when life circumstances emerge. Say, when they plan to retire, need to look after a sick family member, or manage a substantial household. Here, the company leadership can encourage part-time employment or job-share.

Retaining highly skilled professionals with expertise is another reason for resorting to job sharing as a knowledge management tool. A leader can arrange to conserve and transfer the skills and knowledge from more experienced employees to newcomers by implementing such a strategy.

For instance, experienced professionals close to retirement may want to cut their workload and shift to a part-time position. The company leadership may support the need by implementing a job-sharing program.

Benefits for job-sharing employees

More friendly work-life balance

As we mentioned before, better work-life balance accompanies job-sharing environments. Job sharers find a balance prioritizing between work and life. They possess more time on their hand to make appointments and doctor checkups, see their parents and kids, and engage in self-development.

More flexibility in work schedules

Each partner in a job share arrangement works by one of the following part-time schedules: same-shift, split-day, week-shift, or mixed shifts. Since you share your responsibilities, your workload is done more quickly.

Job sharing flexibility grants a few significant opportunities. Planning a beach getaway or taking the best deal holiday can get more spontaneous. You know you can get a cover.

Preserving market complementary skills

Working as a job-sharing employee allows you to stay on top of your personal life and keep up with your profession. You reduce your day to fewer hours, and you stay tech-savvy and your soft and hard skills are in demand in the job market.

Disadvantages of sharing a job

If you are thinking about sharing a job, let’s dig deeper. Of course, it’s not all rainbows and butterflies. If you’re aware of the possible trade-offs, you can select the best work opportunities without sacrificing your priorities. Analyze if there are dealbreakers for you in the job-sharing disadvantages.

Salary

As the salary for job sharing is prorated, it’s twice as little as for a full time position. If you’re stepping up in the career with an hour reduction, however, you might end up with a bonus—working fewer hours per week and earning the same money or more.

Good match for job-share partners

Job-sharing employees shouldn’t be sole mates, still effective collaborating colleagues who have the same goals and corporate values. A senior-junior staff collaboration can work well.

Supporting partners do the job twice as well. Cutting down errors and risks. A mismatch is also possible.

Teams agree on arrangements

Job sharing agreements can be brought to life by means of formal contracts and meeting discussions. The leadership together with job sharers defines communication channels and metrics for progress and effectiveness.

There is a critical point in job share arrangements that some job sharers can refuse. Typically, a job-sharing partner must agree that if one job-sharing partner has to leave the position, the other one will take over the responsibilities of the role until the company finds a new job sharer and renews the job share arrangement.

If a new job share partner doesn’t join the team, and the remaining employer can’t fulfill the full-time position, then they have to go through a voluntary resignation. That doesn’t include position discontinuation and staff transition benefits.

Benefits of job sharing for leadership

The leadership and businesses can also benefit from implementing a shared job strategy. They can support a job-sharing model, whether it’s a twins model with the same tasks and responsibilities or an islands model with different tasks and responsibilities. By sharing the job between employees, businesses can get more effective in parts like:

• Scheduling the working times with the client in mind.
• Introducing workload-orientated schedules.
• Preventing emotional burnout of staff.
• Getting more profitable ideas.
• Getting two problem-solving perspectives to overcome challenges.
• Having dual and self-control.
• Retaining top talents.
• Employing some coverage for the role at all times.
• Boosting overall efficiency and productivity.

Tips for implementing a job share program

It can be tricky when offering job sharing comes from the top down. Though job with sharing a position may reduce earnings, it’s a great way to have a well-organized work-life balance. Follow the actionable tips to successfully implement a job-sharing arrangement at your workspace.

1. First of all, build a positive working atmosphere with your job share partner.
2. Get to know your role and responsibilities.
3. Work on your communication skills.
4. Develop trust and friendship with your job share partner.