Job Sharing
Job sharing is a form of permanent part-time work in which a full-time position is divided between two or more people, each of whom shares responsibility for the entire workload. Each job sharer receives conditions of employment and entitlements on a pro-rata basis in proportion to the hours worked. Job share arrangements are suitable for both professional and academic positions. A change from full-time work to a job sharing arrangement does not break continuity of employment.
Benefits
Job share arrangements can:
- facilitate increased workplace flexibility because job sharers can relieve or cover for each other without loss in efficiency and effectiveness
- enhance the range of skills, experience and knowledge brought to the job when more than one person occupies the position
- enable a better balance between paid work and personal, family, social and community responsibilities and interests resulting in a more productive, high performing and resilient workforce
- increased co-operation and collaboration between by staff
- increase the capacity for retaining highly valued employees who might otherwise leave
- enable employees who are studying to complete their studies at a faster rate than if they were working full-time
- be particularly useful when staff are phasing back into or phasing out of the workforce (eg. staff returning to work following the birth of a child or staff wishing to gradually phase into retirement).
Potential Disadvantages
Job sharing may also result in:
- duplication of work or conflicting decisions due to poor communication between the job sharers
- disruption of work caused by the absence of a person working on a matter which needs to be completed that day
- difficulties renegotiating a job share arrangement if one job sharer leaves
- the need for additional communication mechanisms for job sharers and other staff
- salary, superannuation and other entitlements being affected.
Suggestions for overcoming potential problems
- Chose a job share partner who has a complimentary working style and one whom you communicate well.
- Job sharers and Managers should clarify the details of the job share arrangements together, prior to the commencement of the job share arrangement. Factors to consider include:
- how tasks will be divided
- how to hand over
- how important decisions will be made
- how to keep the Manager and other staff members informed about these
- what will happen if one job sharer resigns.
Staff members are encouraged to outline these details in their flexible work proposal and Managers need to ensure that they are clearly documented in the final agreed arrangement.
- Plan well prior to the introduction of the job share arrangement. This is crucial to preventing many of the potential problems that may arise under this type of arrangement. The University provides information for Managers, including steps to be followed in negotiating flexible work arrangements and a checklist to assist with this process. Guidelines to be followed by staff in constructing a flexible work proposal are also provided.
- The impact of a job sharing arrangement on superannuation, long service leave and other entitlements can be checked by:
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