Increase Productivity And Employee Retention Through Job Sharing

Planning Job Sharing Positions
For job sharing to be successful, there has to be a well-thought-out plan in place that guarantees proper distribution and handling or tasks. The employers should be conversant with how the system works and ensure there is reliable communication with job sharers, and between them and the workers.

It should be a program that is run by the employer and job sharer but excludes the employee who is only to be given work and directives for doing the assigned tasks.

If done correctly, job sharing can be a resource that increases the productivity of employees. The first step in the implementation of the job-sharing system is deciding whether a task is worth sharing. If it is worth and can be shared, then who are the candidates that qualify for the job? In most cases, those that can be assigned the job sharing responsibilities can be found within the company. But then again, recruiting from outside is also a viable option.

The tasks worth sharing are those that have clearly defined individual duties that are often considered complex and require special considerations. But before handing out the jobs, the employer should be committed to executing the job sharing program, and the staff should participate willingly.

The Advantages Of Job Sharing
•    It allows workers more time off so that they can attend to other personal issues such as raising their and caring for their loved ones. Job sharing creates flexible work-hours that most companies find it hard to offer their staff. It also ensures that all tasks are done because there always is someone on hand doing work.

•    The flexibility of work-hours created by the job sharing program will encourage employee retention. It helps keep valued workers who are considering leaving for better and more flexible job opportunities elsewhere or are approaching retirement. It also reduces the need for training new employees when the valued ones leave.

•    Job sharing can be used to merge two different skills into one position. It also helps avoid compulsory redundancies while making the company more attractive to potential candidates seek jobs. Moreover, job sharing helps to empower and motivate the workers to be productive at work.

•    Job sharing encourages accountability, all that involved are accountable to themselves and each other. Such responsibility pushes for the need for everyone to plan and set accomplishable goals while also communicating effectively when sharing jobs for the success of everyone and the company as a whole.
You can read mro about job sharing in this post by Travis Perkins.

The Disadvantage Of Job Sharing

•    While the program may have its benefits, it also has some notable drawbacks. For instance, if two employees assigned a task are not compatible, uniformity in the approaches of working and doing so as co-workers may lack and this hampers productivity. The two will have to overcome the challenge of different work styles and find new ways of doing tasks. As such, no one will have his or her way; they both need to compromise and be willing to learn how to work together. Achieving this does come with its fair share of indecision and confusion.

Conclusion
Job sharing can be a challenge for the employer and employees during the initial stages of implementation. However, success is often one achieved through pairing the right job with the right staff that is willing to compromise, communicate and get along with each other. Job sharing be an intimidating proposal to workers who fear the hassles of having to deal with more paperwork and the confusion that comes with changing the usual way of working.

Therefore, a proper implementation of a well-thought-out plan is paramount so that each job sharer identifies the right candidates for tasks and everyone is held accountable for their duties.

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