Shared positions

opportunity : Flexible Workplace :
Shared positions

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Model administrative arrangements: flexi-place

Model administrative arrangements:
flexible working hours

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1 Centers can establish arrangements for two people to share one full-time position. This arrangement can be used to:

retain staff members wishing to reduce their total work hours due to professional or personal commitments,
recruit highly-qualified candidates who have other professional work obligations that preclude their taking a full-time position, or
provide spouse employment if both members of the couple have an appropriate skill mix.

2 When creating job-share arrangements, a Center may wish to set up arrangements so that during a specified period each week, both individuals are at work simultaneously. This facilitates hand-over of activity from one to the other. In some cases, this may require that the hours of the position be extended to accommodate the overlap period. For example, if extending the hours by 20 percent, the arrangement would be described as a “120 percent” position.

3 Shared positions have worked successfully at all levels of staff across the CGIAR, from shared secretarial positions to co-leadership of major programs. To work effectively, such arrangements require;

careful clarification of the division of labor and coordination of time schedules,
effective management to ensure that the organization’s needs are covered at all times, and
good communication among the job-sharing partners, their supervisors and their subordinates.

4 Well-managed shared positions often show significant organizational advantages – a wider skill mix, higher energy, higher morale and more flexibility to respond in crisis situations.

5 Job sharing should be considered both at the recruitment stage and in response to requests from staff.

Developing a policy framework for implementing shared position arrangements
6 The following basic principles would normally guide the development of arrangements for shared positions.

Access to job-share employment
7 All positions within the Center should be regarded as potentially suitable for job sharing. The approach should be “why not?” rather than “why?”. All applications from staff to job share should be considered in terms of the feasibility of the proposed arrangements.

When job-share arrangements are approved
8 Two individuals may share a full-time (or 120 percent) position with the agreement of the supervisor. A joint work plan should be developed to ensure that all responsibilities of the position are fully covered. Care should be taken to scrutinize and agree to handover arrangements between job-sharing staff members.

9 Job-share positions should be carefully examined for workload to ensure that neither partner has undue stress.

10 Job-share workers should be appraised on their output according to the agreed work plan. In some circumstances, the appraisal (or parts of it) may need to be undertaken with both job sharers jointly, particularly when assessing the overall effectiveness of the job (in meeting service delivery needs or project outputs).

When job-share arrangements are not possible
11 If the current post of a staff member seeking a job-share arrangement is not suitable for job sharing, Center managers should pro-actively seek an alternative post that is an appropriate match for the individual’s skills and likely career development.

12 If demand warrants, Center managers should establish a register of those seeking a partner with whom to job share.