Sara Okuoro
Michael Armstrong (FCA) – Regional Director for
the Middle East, Africa and South Asia at the Institute of Chartered
Accountants in England and Wales.
Splitting a single role between two employees. can have many benefits
for employers, including a broader skills base and the ability to use
flexible talent - but how can staff be sure job shares work for
them?
We explore this topic with Michael Armstrong (FCA), the Regional
Director for the Middle East, Africa and South Asia at the Institute of
Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW).
What is job sharing? And how does it work?
Job sharing or work sharing is an employment arrangement where typically
two people are retained on a part-time or reduced-time basis to perform
a job normally fulfilled by one person working full-time. Since all
positions are shared thus leads to a net reduction in per-employee
income.
SEE ALSO :How accountancy profession can improve trust in public finances
The
people sharing the job work as a team to complete the job task and are
equally responsible for the job workload. Compensation is apportioned
between the workers. Working hours, pay and holidays are divided
equally. Flexible working is now a fact of life globally in the
professional services sector.
When should job sharing be considered in a firm?
Arguably the most common argument for job sharing is when employees seek
to reduce their work hours in a bid to enhance their work-life balance.
Job sharing is a benefit because it keeps two valuable employers,
thereby increasing intellectual capital and experience.
Job sharing can also prevent future employee burnouts from
high stress careers while also making the work atmosphere more enjoyable
for all. Job sharing in the Kenyan market though not common, is now
being taken up by firms present within the country.
A survey on job sharing conducted at the West Kenya Sugar Company found
that 80 percent of the employees felt that their responsibilities were
well handled by a colleague with whom they share a job, showing that it
is a model that can be accepted by the Kenyan worker.
The post of Business Editor at the Africa bureau of the BBC is currently
being held by three editors on a rotational basis, giving the other two
an opportunity to pursue their own personal goals in the knowledge that
they are part of a well-oiled machine.
It may not be an option that’s at the forefront of an employer’s mind,
but they often consider it when they have a valued member of staff who
needs flexible working for whatever reason. Employers often do not
underestimate the cost of finding someone new and developing them into
the business culture. That will often outweigh the cost of making a job
share work.
What constitutes a successful job share?
A successful job share relies not only on a good relationship between
employees and employer, but between the two (or more) sharers
themselves. Successful job share pairings create a mutual relationship
and feel accountable for one another, consequently increasing the
accomplishments they achieve together.
Everything needs to be agreed and documented. There needs to be a clear
plan in place about each person’s responsibilities, and how they’re
accountable to each other for the standard of what they achieve
together.
There are special considerations such as the expectation that employees
are reachable during their days off – and the whole idea of the ‘always
on’ culture which is controversial in some quarters. However, fielding
the occasional call may be the price job sharers will pay for
flexibility.
The person who’s not doing the job on a particular day may need to make
themselves available, because both employees are to an extent reliant on
each other.
Allowing people to work the hours that better fit their lives has been
found to have a positive impact on their productivity and their
wellbeing. Research conducted in the United Kingdom by the Association
of Accounting Technicians (AAT) recently found that people who are
offered flexible working, which includes working from home, flexitime
and job sharing, are happier, less stressed and more productive than
people who do not have flexible working options. And, they have a better
work-life balance.
What challenges exist when it comes to implementing a job share?
Some client-facing position involve close external relationships. What’s
more, senior members of a firm may find it difficult to surrender
control to someone nominally at the same level as themselves.
Certainly, as one goes up the pyramid towards leadership finance
positions, it gets more challenging. If you’re a CFO, you may well want
to have full control of the ship. This is however not restriced to the
financial services sector only. That’s not to say it can never work, but
it needs to be carefully planned to ensure a consistent level of
service is maintained.
What are some golden rules for employees seeking a job share?
Have a look at your situation and make sure you have a clear idea of
what you can commit to: ideally, what would your work pattern look like?
Do you want to work part-time by doing two full days each week, or five
half-days?
And even though employers may be happy to consider job shares, they may
not go out of their way to advertise the fact. Using a good recruiter
can help you land these opportunities, but it’s also worth using your
own personal network, asking around and keeping your eyes open.
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