Why job shares are on the rise

Job shares have always been, in our experience, one of the least preferred options of flexible working practices. Employers can get hung up on the idea that managing two people is a more ‘difficult’ option for the business.

Yet, this is beginning to change.

And highly experienced professionals are proving that job shares are actually the ideal way for employers to find quality talent at a senior level.

The leader of the Green party is in fact, two people. Goldman Sachs, EY, Lloyds Banking, BBC and Sky are all employers who embrace job shares. And the Power Part-Time List continues to list more and more job shares each year.

What’s not to love about job shares?

• A job share gives you two brains for the price of one. Both will be working to the same objectives but will add value by thinking in slightly different ways.  And, when job sharers have a slightly different background or skill set, there is the additional bonus of a broader skill set in the role that a single person couldn’t bring.

• You get improved business continuity. If a job requires more than a standard week and a necessary presence every day, two employees working reduced hours can join forces to fill it.

• Job sharing also reduces bottlenecks caused by holidays and other absences, since the sharers can cover for each other, saving the business money.
• They also help smooth the peaks and troughs. Job sharers in certain combinations can ease the training burden in a role by keeping an experienced worker always in post. This is also helpful if one sharer retires or goes on maternity leave – there’ll still be a safe pair of hands.
• The flexibility you afford employees translates to hard working staff and greater productivity.
• Staff satisfaction improves reducing absenteeism and increasing staff retention saving your business money.
• Your job share employees will set up methods to ensure communication is totally bolted down so that their position works and there is no margin for error. This can result in better performance compared with non-job shares.
• Two decision makers actually improve the effectiveness of the business – you get two professional viewpoints to help make calculated and effective judgement calls.
• Offering a job share when recruiting will open up a talent pool for any hard-to-find skills you’re searching for.

If you’d like to find out more about job shares or the different flexible working options available to your organisation, please get in touch with us. We place flexible and part-time candidates across all sectors and industries for businesses all over the south of England.