2. Considerations for managers
Recognise potential benefits
Job-sharing can bring:
- the best people in to share a full-time post
- access to a broader range of skills and experience
- greater creativity – ‘two minds better than one’
- higher levels of motivation and commitment
Treat each case individually
Make sure a job-share is more suitable than two part-time posts. Would the post:
- benefit from continuity through the week?
- equal one full-time equivalent, not two jobs?
Your role
While job-sharers may rely on you less for day-to-day role support they may need support from you to make the arrangement work.
You can help by:
- talking through the job clearly with the job-sharer
- making sure there is the right balance of shared and individual objectives
- having regular bi-lateral, alternating separate meetings with meetings with both job-sharers
- making your support of the job-share clear to all colleagues
- holding team or unit meetings on a day that both your job-sharer are in
Reports
Having individual objectives will help you write personalised reports for each job-share partner at the end of the year. Make your reports separate and confidential, to allow you comment on any differences in performance.
Development
If your job-sharers have different levels of experience, skills or motivation, you need to be flexible, offering each the support or development opportunities they individually need.
Planning
Make sure there are no gaps where neither job-sharer is in the office, and ideally arrange overlap time.
