Job Sharing is perhaps one of the most visible forms of flexible work practices.

What is job sharing?

Job sharing is a bit like a marriage - to work there has to be a fair division of labour, effective communication and each partner taking equal responsibility for the arrangement, particularly the outcomes.

In a job share situation two people share one full-time job and divide the work between themselves, subject to management approval.

Work can be divided by:

• Time
  One person might work mornings, the other afternoons, or maybe one works two days, the other for three etc.
• Tasks
  Either they can take responsibility for different parts of the job or they share tasks.

What's in it for the employee?

Job sharing allows a working person with family or other outside commitments to pursue their career goals with all the pluses offered by a full-time job - supervisory responsibilities, training, possible promotion and status within the organisation - opportunities generally not available in a part-time role.

Job sharing can also be the answer for:

• Those with a disability for whom full-time work would be difficult 
• Those approaching retirement who wish to gradually reduce their working hours 
• Those who wish to study at a faster rate.

Job sharers work in a partnership where each complements the skills of the other, pooling their ideas and supporting each other. Through their close collaboration they learn valuable skills and strategies from each other. Their job satisfaction can improve as less stimulating duties can be shared.

What's in it for the employer?

Employers who have implemented job sharing arrangements report a range of benefits for their companies:

• Employee turnover can be reduced, resulting in savings in recruitment and training costs
• Recruitment is done from a bigger employment pool
• A new employee can get "up to speed" quicker
• Absenteeism is reduced 
• Customer service and productivity levels can be maintained
• A wider range of skills and experience is available and maintained by the company
• There is greater potential for innovative problem-solving
• Peak periods are better covered if both employees work during peak workloads
• One sharer can cover the other during sickness or holidays 
• A wider span of working hours can be covered, eg. from 8.00am to 7.00pm and at lunch time.
• Job sharing lets a company reach and retain an untapped pool of highlymotivatedprofessionals who have needed to reduce their hours, for whatever reason
• As time has become as important as money, job sharing can be used as an incentive to attract and retain the best and the brightest

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