Share Your Job Share: Amy & Vanessa "Two minds for the price of one!"

To demonstrate the breadth, potential, and diversity of successful job share teams, we are working to compile job share stories from around the globe.

About the job share

Role: Director of Finance

Industry: Government & Public Administration

Country: Australia

Description: Responsible for building and leading a team of 60+ Business Partners to successfully achieve the delivery of a budget more than +$2B across 9 Divisions / 32 Business units, while also implementing a large transformational change program.

Years of Job Share: 10 years, during this time we were fortunate to be able to apply for multiple positions within the organisation allowing us to continue to develop our skills and maintain a balance in our personal lives.

What do you wish people knew about job sharing:

Vanessa: It's how I've gotten work life balance. Plus, I get a trusted partner to share responsibilities and bounce ideas. It's such an amazing option for both employees and the company when you find a job share that works. Two minds for the price one!

Amy: I loved that I was able to continue to develop my career in senior positions that I loved while also having the ability to balance my family life.

What do you wish companies knew about job sharing?

Amy:I wish they could see the benefits for the company. You get two minds for one. It gives you two minds to create great outcomes. Job Share pairs work extra hard to make the arrangement work. We make it seamless so it doesn’t matter who you had the first conversation with, the other person can progress the work. You will have two very engaged staff members with increased productivity. Happy staff = increased productivity.

I really hope that times are changing and the benefits for job share continue to grow. Hopefully one day when our girls (or boys) are older and want to job share it will be more common.

What did job sharing provide you? Time and flexibility as a primary caretaker, for work-life integration, and to retain level of responsibility, with reduced hours

How did you find your job share partner? We found each other at our organisation. We both actually wanted the same role that was advertised as full time during a restructure. We put a business case to the hiring manager about appointing us both as a job share. We got the job!

How did Benefits work? Company provided full benefits to both

At what level did you start your job share? Supervisor/Manager

At what level did you end your job share? Director

Why did your job share end? We both decided to leave the company

How did you share your schedule and responsibilities? We shared responsibilities for all tasks and divided up the days. Our job share was for 1.2 FTE (3 days each with one cross over day).

If you or someone you know is in a job share, please encourage them to share their job share story here: Share Your Job Share