Job-sharing is a growing trend in today's workplace, not only because more workers are juggling careers and family obligations but also because more companies are seeing the benefits of offering a flexible work arrangement. Employers have found that it actually can increase productivity, reduce absenteeism and turnover, and retain valued employees.
When the relationship works, two halves can make more than a whole.
Alston & Bird, an Atlanta law firm that has been on Fortune's "Top 100 Companies to Work For" list for seven years, was ahead of its time in the 1980s, when it established a policy on alternative work schedules.
"The reason we did it is that when we say our people are our best resource, we mean it. We want to hire and keep the best talent, and we want the best policies and programs in place so that people can balance their work and families," said Linda Newman, director of employee development.
"When someone brings us a problem, we look at a way to work it out together," she added.
Thirty years ago, legal secretary Lynda Cowan had just had her third child and knew she couldn't work full time. Not wanting to lose her, the firm worked out a four-day work schedule that gave her 80 percent of full benefits. In the beginning, she used Wednesdays for children's doctor appointments and errands, while another secretary did her job. Now that Cowan's children are grown, she often plays golf on Wednesdays.
"Job-sharing allowed me to be wife, mom and secretary without feeling like one role was constantly fighting the other. It made me feel valued and fulfilled," she said.
It also made her a loyal employee, who worked hard to make the transition seamless.
Cowan was the precedent, and, because she and her job-sharing partners (several over the years) have made it work, about 20 percent of the secretarial staff have flex scheduling now. Some partners alternate a five-day with a four-day schedule, covering for one another every other Friday.
The greatest compliment for Cheryl Copeland, Cowan's job-sharing partner for three years, is to have a co-worker say, "We didn't even know Lynda wasn't here today."
"We both put a lot of effort into making it work that way - through e-mails, notes, calls. You have to work as a team and be compatible," Copeland said. "I think job-sharing partners work harder because we appreciate being able to work this way."
Copeland job-shares with three different secretaries three days a week (30 hours), which gives her benefits. She has to learn not only the work and style of each secretary but also how each team of lawyers wants things done.
"It takes two dedicated people doing whatever it takes, but it's worth the effort to have the time to pursue your passion," Copeland said. Four days a week, she works in Bible education and ministry in her community, visiting mental institutions and nursing homes.
'It works fabulously'
Eileen Apple and Danielle Rubenstein have shared the position of associate director of alumni career services at the Goizueta Business School at Emory University since September 2004. They also work from home, which works well for the mothers of young children.
Apple held the position originally. After her second child, she wanted to slow down and decrease her hours at the same time that the university was looking to expand its services for alumni. Rubenstein was working in undergraduate career management in the business school and approached her about job-sharing. The two talked, listed job responsibilities, then approached Natalie Miranda, senior director of alumni relations at Goizueta.
"We knew the job could be done from anywhere, because it's a lot of Web work, phone calls and business meetings out in the community, and Eileen was doing it that way. We needed a full-time person, but we didn't want to lose the knowledge and expertise that Eileen had. That didn't make sense," Miranda said.
It took about six months for Apple and Rubenstein to work out the details with each other and the university. Miranda supervises through conference calls, e-mails and occasional meetings with the rest of the staff.
"The arrangement may not be traditional, but it works fabulously, and the alums love the services," Miranda said. "Sometimes they'll come in to thank them and be surprised they're not here."
Both women work about 20 hours a week. Because Apple works with senior alums and Rubenstein with younger graduates and because they divided the list of companies they work with alphabetically, they can be on the job simultaneously or at different hours - just so the work gets done.
Apple said it would have been scarier turning over half of her job to someone if she hadn't known Rubenstein.
"She had skills I didn't, and she appreciated what I did. She knew the lay of the land. We had worked together before and knew we could work well together. There was a level of trust there, so it was a relief to know that everything didn't rest on my shoulders," Apple said.
Apple and Rubenstein say that communication and trust are key factors in making the job-share relationship work.
"We're such good backup for each other. I can depend on her, and she knows she can depend on me," Rubenstein said. "And I love the fact that I can work from home but still have interaction with another professional. There's a lot of camaraderie, and I don't feel so isolated. I feel so lucky; it's like a dream job."
Even though they divided the work, they've discovered a lot of gray areas - such as working on an upcoming career fair.
"We talk and e-mail a lot. Instant messaging has been our lifesaver, because we can let each other know what is going on without a telephone waking up a baby," Apple said. Both feel they have more balance in their lives, while still using their skills and pursuing their careers.
"I'm just as plugged into Goizueta as before - even more. I'm constantly talking to staff and meeting people from all over the world, so my skills are as polished as ever," Apple said. "I think it would be an easy transition to move back into a full-time position in this field."
Rubenstein advises people considering job-sharing to approach their current or previous employers first.
"Go where you are a known entity. The business school knew us and trusted us to get the job done," she said.
'A natural fit'
About two years ago, when Juliet Veal returned from maternity leave to her job as special events coordinator at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta at Egleston, she approached her boss about working fewer hours and sharing the job. She had had part-time help on the weekends to run events for patients and their families, but it was hard to keep the position filled.
"Just working weekends, people weren't really invested in it. I'm so glad that administrators were willing to be creative and flexible," she said. Children's Healthcare of Atlanta also made Fortune's "100 Best Companies to Work For" list this year.
Veal gave up some hours, and Children's Healthcare funded increased hours for the weekend job, so that both could come with benefits. Veal chose as her partner Meryl Franco, someone she knew who had volunteered to do art with the children at the hospital before.
"It was a natural fit. She's good with the children and creative. She does a lot of what we were already doing but has put her on spin on the job by introducing new things, like Tot Time for moms and babies," Veal said.
Veal works a few hours on Monday (to have face-to-face time with her partner) and regular days Tuesday through Thursday, when she leaves long messages for Franco about upcoming events. Franco works Friday through Monday, which leaves her time to pursue her own art.
"I still paint and create artwork for children's rooms, but being with the children here made me want to take a different direction," Franco said. "It's very inspiring to see children enjoying the creative process, regardless of what they're going through, and to know that what we plan makes a difference. I feel blessed to be able to do both."
Veal said that the transition to job-sharing was easy and allowed her to feel balanced.
"When I'm here, it's a great place to work and I'm a full-time professional, but I'm just a mommy on Fridays," she said. "Meryl and I have a nice working relationship, and when I'm not here, I know she's got it covered."
To learn more, see www.sharegoals.com, a human resources consulting company that specializes in job-sharing.