How to Implement a Job Sharing Program

One of the many ways in which businesses are learning to maximize the efficiency of their work environment is through job sharing, which can be a total success or a total failure, depending on how it is approached. Job sharing benefits the business because overtime costs are all but eliminated and they have employees who are fresh and ready to work every day. It benefits the employees because they can cut their workday in half (or at least by one quarter) and have time for other obligations. Job sharing has been around for many years, but even large corporations are beginning to implement it with their staff.

How to Implement a Job Sharing Program: What Is Job Sharing?

Job sharing refers to the practice of splitting one full-time job between two employees. For example, instead of hiring one administrative assistant to work forty- or fifty-hour weeks, the employer would hire two administrative assistants - one two work the morning shift, for example, and one to work in the afternoons. Some job sharing programs also implement rotating days. For instance, one employee would work Monday, Wednesday and Friday while the other would take Tuesdays and Thursdays. The next week, the schedule would reverse.

How to Implement a Job Sharing Program: Who's In Charge?

This is one of the major problems with job sharing that many employers face. Who's in charge? Both employees hold the same job, but does one take the lead while the other follows? And who takes the blame when work isn't completed? Job sharing requires the maximum support from both the employer and the employees to work successfully. It also requires a dedication to communication between all parties so that problems can be addressed efficiently. Often, when the work day is split in half, the afternoon employee takes the brunt of the stress because he or she must complete all work that the other employee was unable to finish. It is important for the employer to assist the employees in time management.

How to Implement a Job Sharing Program: Office Space