Michael Page Logo

Main menu

  • Home
  • Jobs+

    Searching for a job?

    • Job search
    • Submit your CV
    • Career advice
    • Salary guide
    • Salary comparison tool

    Looking to return to Singapore?

    • https://www.michaelpage.com.sg/
    • Returning to Singapore

    Contracting

    • Contractors
    • FAQs for Contractors
    • View Contracting Jobs
    • How Michael Page Can Help

    Job search advice

    • Changing jobs
    • Resume and cover letter
    • Salary and negotiation
    • Interview
    • Starting out

    Search for jobs

  • Contracting
  • Recruiting+

    Looking to hire?

    • Recruitment services
    • Reasons to partner with Michael Page
    • Our sourcing methodology
    • Candidate verification
    • Management advice
    • Job Advertising: ReachTalent

    Outsourcing / Project Recruitment

    • https://www.michaelpage.com.sg/
    • About Page Outsourcing
    • Our approach
    • Our successes
    • Our team of experts
    • Our testimonials

    Ready to Recruit

    • Contact us now
    • Contact us now

    Recruitment expertise

    • Recruitment expertise
    • Banking & Financial Services
    • Construction
    • Digital
    • Engineering & Manufacturing
    • Finance & Accounting
    • Healthcare
    • Human Resources
    • Legal
    • Life Sciences
    • Marketing
    • Procurement & Supply Chain
    • Property
    • Retail
    • Sales
    • Technology
    • Executive Search

    Contracting

    • About Michael Page Contracting Services
    • Meet the Mobile Economy
    • Hiring Contractors - Free Guide
    • About Michael Page Contracting Services
    • FAQs for Employers

    ABC's of Technology

    • https://www.michaelpage.com.sg/
    • Download Humans of AI report
    • Download Humans of Blockchain report
  • Advice+

    Career advice

    • Career advice
    • Career progression
    • Changing jobs
    • Interview
    • Productivity and performance
    • Resume and cover letter
    • Salary and negotiation
    • Work-life balance

    Powering Asia's Future

    • https://www.michaelpage.com.sg/
    • Stories from 9 inspirational leaders in Asia

    Transformational Leadership

    • https://www.michaelpage.com.sg/
    • Eight Executive Trends for 2020

    Management advice

    • Management advice
    • Engagement and retention
    • Hiring
    • Leadership
    • Staff development
    • Diversity and inclusion

    Market insights

    • Employment market updates
    • Industry reports
    • The Future of Hiring

    Leading Women

    • Leading Women in Interviews
    • Leading Women in Interviews

    Most popular articles

    • Prioritising wellbeing and a positive mindset
    • How to negotiate the salary you want
    • Common interview questions
    • Virtual job interviews tips
    • Onboarding in remote teams
    • Job hunting over 50
    • Writing a resignation letter
    • Knowing how to resign and leave well
    • 8 must have qualities of an effective leader
    • Highest paying jobs in Singapore in 2021
  • About+

    About Us

    • What we do
    • Media Releases
    • Reviews
    • Awards
    • About PageGroup
  • Join PageGroup+

    Join PageGroup

    • About PageGroup
    • Why choose us?
    • Your role here
    • Use your skills
    • FAQs
    • Apply now
  • Contact+

    Contact

    • https://www.michaelpage.com.sg/
    • Find our offices
    • Looking to hire?
    • Submit your CV
    • Feedback
Sign In
Saved jobs (0)
Saved jobs (0)
Sign In
Login or Sign up
Search for a job

You are here

Home>Advice>Management Advice>Engagement and retention>How to make job sharing work

How to make job sharing work

by Michael Page
-
09/07/2018
How to make job sharing work

Job sharing is a new way of looking at part time work and what it entails is essentially splitting a full-time position into two part-time jobs. Job sharing is becoming an increasingly popular flexible work arrangement, although many employers might be skeptical about whether it is really possible to carve up roles and job scope between two employees.

Reasons for job sharing

There are many reasons that lead employees to choose a job sharing arrangement – it might be to take care of a dependent or to advance one’s education. Many new parents also opt for this flexible way of working when returning to work after having a child.

However, the job sharing arrangement can prove challenging, and both job sharing partners will have to find ways to share the role thoughtfully and intelligently, as well as convince their employer to trust them to get the job done.

What makes for a successful job share?

An employer will need to carefully assess the situation to ascertain whether a job share would work well in the particular circumstance in question. One way to do so is to conceptualise all different parts of the job and divide them up effectively. For example, some people split the work by each taking responsibility for certain tasks. This is called the ‘islands model’ or a ‘job split’. Others simply divide the workload based on days they are at work. This is called the ‘twins model’ and is usually slightly easier to implement.

Every job is unique, and the model or way you choose to slice any given job will depend on its nature as well as the preferences and skills both employees bring to the table. Here are some guidelines:

  • The work is clearly assigned and divided between the employees. The workload must be regularly monitored to ensure that an imbalance in workload between the two parties does not arise.
  • Clear lines of responsibility and decision making must be defined to avoid any confusion around who takes the lead on specific tasks.
  • The job sharers’ respective skill-sets and knowledge must complement each other and offer an effective combination of expertise.
  • Robust channels of communication must be established between the employees undertaking the job share. Excellent communication is a prerequisite to avoid misunderstandings, inaccuracies or failure to relay important information.

What employees can get out of job sharing

There are many benefits that employees can get out of a job sharing arrangement. For example, they can retain the level of responsibility and strategic weight of a full time position but still enjoy the flexibility of part time hours. There can also be an exchange of skills and knowledge between job sharers especially if they have complementary skills, experience and perspectives.

Other benefits include maintaining a level of seniority with their organisation while changing the structure of their hours, as well as meeting the demands of a challenging role while upholding an improved work-life balance.

Benefits for the employer

When employees have an improved work-life balance, it might just motivate them to go the extra mile, allowing this to become a win-win situation for the job sharers as well as the company. This usually leads to a better retention of high performing employees who are seeking more flexibility due to a change in personal circumstances, and a more relaxed, satisfied and happy workforce - potentially leading to higher productivity and reduced absenteeism. Having an extra head count onboard also gives you the ability to cover sickness and holiday leave, giving better continuity of cover.

Finally, the saying, ‘two heads are better than one’ holds true here, as you can widen your workforce to include a good mixture of skill-sets and complementary combination of experience and approach.

Whatever the reasons for implementing a job sharing option in your organisation, you’ll need to keep trying out various arrangements to see what works best. Set a pilot period and experiment with how the work is split up and communicate this to your company, tweaking and adjusting as you go along. Continually reassess and make adjustments to the job based on what’s working for each of your employees, and job sharing might just work for your organisation.

Previous article
How to answer competency-based interview questions
by Michael Page
Read article
Next article
How to use a recruitment agency to find a job
How to use a recruitment agency to find a job
by Alicia Tsi
Read article
If you are looking for a job, visit the Candidates section

Are you Hiring?

 

Are you Hiring?

If you are an employer and would like to discuss your hiring needs, fill in the form below and we will call you back.

 

Advertise Your Role With Us

Advertise Your Role With ReachTalent

Michael Page Logo
  • Read our blogRead our blog
  • Follow us on facebookFollow us on facebook
  • Connect with us on linkedinConnect with us on linkedin
  • Watch us on youtubeWatch us on youtube

General

  • Change country/region
  • Page Personnel Singapore
  • Page Executive
  • Investor site
  • PageGroup corporate site
  • WARNING! Email security message
  • Email disclaimer
  • Feedback
  • Site terms
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy

Jobs by function

  • Banking & Financial Services
  • Construction
  • Digital
  • Engineering & Manufacturing
  • Executive Search
  • Finance & Accounting
  • Healthcare
  • Human Resources
  • IT
  • Legal
  • Life Sciences
  • Marketing
  • Procurement & Supply Chain
  • Property
  • Retail
  • Sales
  • Secretarial & Business Support
 

Contact

  • Feedback
  • Looking to hire?
  • Submit your CV

Our Offices

  • Raffles Place

Accreditations

ISO27001 Accreditation

© Michael Page International Pte Limited, company number 199804751N (including Page Executive (53295516A)) operating as an Employment Agency under Licence number 18S9099. Registered Office: One Raffles Place, #09-61 Office Tower Two, Singapore 048616.