We workin’ mamas do love to complain about the lack of flexible options in our own and other workplaces (got a 1/2 hour??). Ever dream of working fewer hours to pick the kids up from school yourself, still doing meaningful work that pays the same as your full-time gig? Dying to spend more time doing crafts? Helping with homework? Not pumping?All good stuff that can be awfully challenging within the confines of a conventional 40+ hour work week. So, if you need to work, want to work, whatever your schtick, and you’re seeking more flexibility to tip the scales a bit more toward the home life, one option is job sharing. Or so I’ve heard.
When I returned to full-time work when my first child was three months old, I worked four 10-hour days - ugh. But lucky, lucky for me my husband took the next three months off; he could because he’s self-employed; no health benefits but there are serious upsides - namely flexibility and control over the almighty schedule. At the time there was a whole spread in our local paper about two public school teachers who job shared a classroom. I was amazed. And so jealous. As with anything, of course, there are trade-offs - pros and cons for both the job sharers and their workplace. But I can only imagine because I’ve never known anyone to do it. Which is precisely why I’m asking you!!
Have you or anyone you know well ever tried it? Did you/do you love it? Hated it? Somewhere in the middle? Would your workplace let you? Surely some jobs are more suited to it than others - which are great and which just wouldn’t cut it? And what about the bennies…? I need those!! Are they pro-rated? Split down the middle like the salary?
And here’s a big barrier in my mind: how do you find that perfect partner to share the job with? I’m seeing a mamapportunity in here somewhere - mamas connecting mamas who want to job share? Head hunting for the parent set? Should I keep job sharing on my “maybe” list, or cross it off right away and consider my other (oh-so-limited) part-time options???
Hear what else Lisa has to say about our country’s dreadful public policies for families & her random efforts to improve them at Activistas.
