At first glance, it might seem like job-sharing and FLEX is a strategy for big employers with large head counts and even bigger budgets to attract and retain diverse talent. But actually it’s also a really smart solution for SMEs. So if that’s where you’re working and you want to make a case for sharing, here’s what you need to know:

 1.     More talent. 

In small teams, every single member really has to earn their place. Each person needs to add to the spread of experience, contacts, approach and perspective.

Job-sharing is a way to really maximise this value, bringing two smart brains for the price of one.

2.      Hiring job sharers does NOT need to cost more than a single employee.

It’s absolutely true that the job share magic(TM) happens in the handover – the two hours a week in which they update, share insights, plan and innovate. Where the paybill is huge, it’s easy to see how these hours can just be added on. But in smaller organisations those extra hours can be found for free by starting an hour later on a different day. It’s that simple.

3.      Oh, and there’s the increased productivity and innovation, the continuity and well-being and the much more diverse talent pool to hire from, offering commercial edge and bigger profits.