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Job Sharing

Illustration of film makers

Job sharing is a form of regular part-time work where two people or more share the responsibilities of one full-time position and split the hours.

In the UK, the organisation Share My Telly Job supports and facilitates job-sharing in the screen sector.

While we don’t have an equivalent structure in Ireland, we were lucky to host co-director Michelle Reynolds during our ‘Flexible Working in the Screen Industry’ conference in 2020. You can see the recording by clicking here (Vimeo) or embedded at the end of this page.

A job-share is like a marriage…and sometimes opposites attract!

You need personalities that work well together and can get along. It can be an advantage when job-sharers bring different skills and strengths to the table.

Respect One Another

There may be times when you have different ideas about how to do things or a different opinion of where you see things going, but communicate. Work through any issues together. If you do disagree, work those disagreements out between yourselves.

A job-share won’t work if there is competition between the pair or any ‘one upmanship’. There will be times when you have to compromise but those times will be rare. Even the most experienced people can learn something new when they work collaboratively. Be open to learning and respect that your job-sharers ideas and input are just as valid as your own.

Remember you are both on the same side and working towards the same goal. Provide each other with support and be a sounding board for one another. A successful job-share is one that is built on mutual respect and trust.

Have a similar skillset

You don’t have to have the exact same experience, but you should always have a similar level of experience to your job-share partner. It doesn’t work well when one person is playing the role of mentor to the other, or if one person considers themselves to be more senior to the other.

Apply as a pair

The best way to approach a job-share is as a ready-made pair. If Heads of Production or Talent Managers have to match two job-sharers, that can increase their work-load.

Negotiate

Don’t be afraid to discuss openly what will work for you and what won’t.

Structure your job-share according to the contract

Suit your job-share to the demands of the contract and be flexible when it comes to your employer’s needs. Have an open and honest conversation with your job-share partner and your employer about what you can realistically commit to. Responsibilities need to be split fairly – it won’t work if one half of the job-share is committed to working late on their working days, but the other half of the job-share needs to leave early most days. These are all things to discuss up front.

Communication is key

CC each other in on absolutely every email (or set up a shared email address if you prefer). Be prepared to take the occasional phone call even on days you’re not technically at work. Discuss any really major changes before they happen. Always debrief your job-share partner with comprehensive and detailed handovers both by email and on the phone. If appropriate, send uploads of the latest cut so that your job-share partner is always kept fully up to speed and no work time is wasted.

Present as one voice

Before you start the job, think through exactly how you will present as one voice to your employer. An employer needs to be able to interact with a job-share team in exactly the same way as they would with a single person. Support each other’s decisions and keep any logistical discussions behind the scenes!