10/ 08/ 2007
by Tamara E. Holmes
Are lifestyle changes prompting one of your key employees to scale back job duties? One way to utilize part-time employees and still get the job done is to institute a job-sharing program. Not only are these programs ideal for employees who can't devote 40 hours a week to the workplace because of lifestyle demands such as parenting and health issues, but these programs can also cut down on the amount of money your small business spends each year on salaries, benefits and employee training.
Job-sharing is not the same as hiring two part-time employees. Two part-time employees act autonomously and have their own perspective work duties, while two employees in a job-sharing program literally act as two halves of a whole. One may do the job on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, while the other takes over on Thursday and Friday.
In order for a job-sharing program to work, both parties must agree to put the partnership ahead of their own career development. In other words, if a promotion sought after, both employees in the position, not just one, must seek obtain it.
Job-sharing programs work best for employees who can't work full-time and who have jobs that are too demanding to fit into a part-time schedule. Employers gain the advantage of having two employees for the price of one since the parties sharing the position are also sharing the salary. The issue of benefits is one that varies among employers. Some employers offer employees in job-sharing programs full benefits, while others offer a reduced benefit package.
While employers can enjoy financial benefits when instituting a job-sharing program, the greatest advantage is arguably the ability to retain key employees who might otherwise choose to leave the company. A flexible schedule is an asset in today's workplace culture so an employer who allows key employees to work around their personal lives may be able to attract the most valuable workers. Retaining employees also saves money since it negates the need to launch a costly job search or train new employees.
In order to make a job-sharing program work, here are a few key factors to keep in mind.
Screen your employees. While job-sharing programs can work efficiently, it's important to have the right employees participating in the program. Employees who can't work as a team or who have problems with communication would find job-sharing more difficult. Likewise, employees who have ambitious plans for their career track might not be good candidates either, since job-sharing requires one to sacrifice his individual career for the team.
Identify job-sharing opportunities. Just as job-sharing isn't for every employee, neither is it for every position. Some jobs require employees to develop a rapport with customers and clients. In those cases, it might be disadvantageous for your company to have two different people interacting with the client. For example, a salesperson who spends much of his time building relationships with clients might not be able to easily share that position, since success is determined to a large extent by the comfort level that employee has created with the client. Before instituting a job-sharing program, create a list of positions that are eligible and those that require one full-time employee to fill.
Create written guidelines. Recruitment may be more challenging if a member of a job-sharing team chooses to leave the company, but written guidelines can make the transition smoother. As an employer, you and everyone who works with a job-sharing team should understand who does which part of the job and the intricacies of how such an arrangement works. The work schedules of those involved, as well as the specific duties, should be part of these written guidelines.
Amend company evaluation systems. How will you evaluate? Will you judge each based on individual performance or only as a team? Decide which way you want to go and make sure all parties involved know how you will evaluate their performance each year.
Retaining key employees is a major goal of any successful business. A job-sharing program adds another tool to your arsenal as you take on this endeavor.
