job sharing
B2Formal, Business, HR
Definition
Meaning
A work arrangement where the responsibilities and hours of a single full-time position are divided between two or more part-time employees.
A model of flexible work designed to improve work-life balance and retain experienced staff, where participants typically coordinate their schedules to cover the full scope of the role. It can also refer to the concept of sharing work more generally in a community or informal economy.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Typically a compound noun, but can be used attributively (e.g., 'a job-sharing scheme'). The concept focuses on a single 'job' divided, not two separate part-time jobs. Implies collaboration and coordination between the sharers.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical differences. Spelling is consistent. Slightly more common in UK corporate/HR discourse.
Connotations
In both varieties, it connotes modern, progressive HR policy, flexibility, and often gender equality (as it's popular with parents).
Frequency
Moderately frequent in professional contexts in both regions; slightly higher frequency in UK public sector discourse.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Company/Org.] offers/job sharing.[Employees] are job-sharing.to job-share [a role/position].Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “To have the best of both worlds (often cited as a benefit of job sharing).”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
The firm's new HR policy actively promotes job sharing to improve staff retention.
Academic
The study analysed the impact of job sharing on productivity and employee well-being.
Everyday
Sarah and Tom are job-sharing the manager role so they can both spend more time with their families.
Technical
The contract includes a detailed appendix outlining the responsibilities and handover protocols for the job-sharing agreement.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- They successfully job-share the head of department role.
- The company allows staff to job-share.
American English
- They are planning to job-share the marketing director position.
- More professionals are choosing to job-share.
adverb
British English
- The role is performed job-sharingly by two associates. (Rare/formal)
American English
- (Typically not used as an adverb; 'in a job-sharing capacity' is preferred)
adjective
British English
- She found a job-sharing opportunity in the civil service.
- They have a job-sharing arrangement.
American English
- The job-sharing policy was updated last quarter.
- They applied for the job-sharing position.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Two teachers job-share one class.
- My company offers job sharing for many office roles.
- After her maternity leave, she returned to work through a job-sharing arrangement with a colleague.
- Proponents argue that job sharing enhances productivity by combining diverse skill sets and reducing employee burnout.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a SHARE of a JOB, like sharing a cake: two people get equal slices (hours/responsibilities) of one whole cake (the position).
Conceptual Metaphor
A JOB IS A PIE (that can be divided and shared).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct calque 'деление работы' – it sounds mechanistic. Use 'разделение должности' or 'совместительство', though the latter ('совместительство') typically means a second job, not sharing one. 'Гибкий график совместной работы' is a descriptive option.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'job sharing' as a verb without a hyphen ('They job share' is incorrect; correct is 'They job-share' or 'They are job-sharing'). Confusing it with simply having two separate part-time jobs.
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary characteristic of 'job sharing'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Not exactly. Job sharing is a specific type of part-time work where two or more people share the responsibilities of one full-time position, requiring coordination. A regular part-time job is a standalone role.
It depends on the employer and local laws. Often, benefits are prorated based on hours worked, but some progressive companies offer full benefits to job-sharing partners.
Key challenges include seamless communication between partners, consistent handover of tasks, managing perceptions of reduced commitment, and ensuring both individuals are accountable for the whole role.
Yes, though it is less common. It requires exceptional trust, communication, and clarity between the sharing partners and the teams they manage. Successful examples exist in various sectors.