When employees look to cut their hours to spend more time going after an advanced degree, raising a family or running a business, thoughts may turn to the option of job sharing. While a few employers might already support job-share arrangements, for many it is an untested approach and the onus for making it work falls primarily on the employee making the request.
If you’re contemplating going after a job share, here are a few things that may help you set one up and keep it working:
1. Make a case for it to your boss.
You can’t just expect that everyone’s going to jump at the chance to start a job share. Much of it is like uncharted water to them. It’s your responsibility to make your case. Statistics about job-sharing across the nation don’t tell the story about how it will work in your particular job, either. Figure out a schedule that would make transitions between partners the smoothest. If you have good job habits and your boss has found you reliable in the past, he or she may well listen to a well thought-out argument. Remember this is a risk for them too. Make it a reasonable risk.
2. Get the support of your work group.
People who may struggle with their own jealousy or questions of favoritism are not apt to be very helpful and may even create problems where there are none. If you really want to make a job share work, talk to your cohorts in the office. Find out what their concerns might be and try to do something to address them. The last thing you want to do is burden them in your own self-interest.
3. Find a relationship that works.
This is really the most important factor once a job share is in place—finding that "better half." Of course, sometimes that’s decided for you. Your boss may pair you up with someone else looking for a similar part-time schedule. Then it's up to you to make it work by clearly spelling out expectations for when you will pass projects back and forth, how you get updates on what has happened in the days you've been out of the office, how you share workspace and more. As in any relationships, clearly spelled-out expectations can circumvent a whole host of potential problems later.
4. Stay flexible.
If you’re in a Monday-to-Friday job, you need to at least maintain a little flexibility if some unusual circumstances arise and you need to go in the office. That doesn’t mean you maintain full-time childcare, but at least have some options for relatives or friends or emergency care you could fall back on. Stand your ground unless it’s really vital, however, or you could find yourself working full-time for half-time pay.
5. Stay accessible.
I can’t say enough about what technology has done for our definition of "office work." With a computer at home, e-mail, the Internet, voice mail and pager, no one can say we're inaccessible even when away from the office. As part of your proposal to the boss, include options for how you will stay accessible on off days but set strict guidelines for when you should be called in. Don't let it be abused. For example, a last-minute request for a client file that you had last might warrant a page. A pre-meeting to plan the next work group retreat, however, should not require you to be accessible by conference call.
6. Keep up.
By keeping up, I mean keeping your skills up. A lot of times when employees cut work hours the first thing that goes is the continuing education and networking with peers. If you can’t make it to the weekly association meeting, try to make time for the newsletter or reading books on your profession on the side.
7. Keep your expectations in line.
When you choose to cut your hours, you slow your progress up the ladder. That doesn’t mean you give up trying to get ahead in your career, but without the visibility and the production that comes with working full time it will slow. Don’t expect to get the cream-of-the-crop projects. Also don’t expect that you’ll be able to keep on the "inside track" on all the office gossip and vital information. Even if people consciously try to fill you in on things that happen while you’re out, something will be missed. The good thing is, you and your job share partner can try to keep each other in the loop.
Often those who job share find themselves acting as the company guinea pig. By keeping a few basic guiding principles in mind--staying flexible and accessible, managing expectations, finding support in your work group and defining roles clearly--you could get the chance to show everyone how job sharing is a concept that works.
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