The benefits of job sharing

Abstract

This case study demonstrates the practical application of a successful hybrid job share for two women leaders working in a senior management role at a higher education institution. Over the three years of the job share a number of benefits from an employee, employer and leadership development perspective were discovered. In particular, the job share created opportunities for the authors to overcome some of the barriers women leaders can face such as achieving a better work–life balance and having increased levels of confidence. The authors hope that the multiple benefits of performing a leadership role through job sharing may encourage more employees and employers to consider job sharing as a way of increasing the number of women in senior positions.