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Unlock This CourseThe modern workplace is changing rapidly. Gone are the days when everyone worked 9-5, Monday to Friday in the same office for 40 years. Today's businesses need flexibility to respond to changing markets, seasonal demands and employee expectations. Two key types of flexible employment that have become increasingly popular are job share and temporary employment.
These employment types help businesses manage costs, cover for absent staff and attract talented workers who might not be available for traditional full-time roles. For employees, they offer better work-life balance and opportunities to gain experience across different companies.
Key Definitions:
Job sharing allows two people to split one full-time role between them. This might mean one person works Monday-Wednesday and another works Thursday-Friday, or they could alternate weeks. The key is that together they provide full coverage for the role whilst each working part-time hours.
Job sharing has become increasingly popular, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of work-life balance. It's particularly common in professional roles like teaching, nursing, management and office-based positions.
In a typical job share arrangement, two employees split the responsibilities, salary and benefits of one full-time position. They need to communicate effectively to ensure smooth handovers and consistent service delivery. Many job sharers use shared email accounts, detailed handover notes and regular meetings to stay coordinated.
Access to two skill sets instead of one, reduced staff turnover, better coverage during holidays and ability to attract high-quality candidates who want part-time work.
Higher administration costs, potential communication issues between job sharers and need for more management time to coordinate two people.
Clear job descriptions, effective handover procedures, compatible working styles between sharers and strong communication systems.
The NHS extensively uses job sharing, particularly for senior nursing positions. Two experienced nurses might share a Ward Manager role - one working Monday-Wednesday, the other Thursday-Saturday. This ensures 24/7 coverage whilst allowing both nurses to maintain work-life balance. The arrangement works because both have similar qualifications and experience and they maintain detailed patient handover records.
Temporary employment covers a wide range of working arrangements, from covering maternity leave to handling seasonal peaks in demand. These roles might last anywhere from a few days to several months, depending on the business need.
Temporary work takes many forms in modern business. Understanding these different types helps both employers and employees make informed decisions about this flexible working arrangement.
Jobs that increase during specific times of year, like retail staff at Christmas, lifeguards in summer, or tax advisors during tax season.
Employment for specific projects with clear start and end dates, common in construction, IT and consulting industries.
Temporary roles covering for permanent staff on maternity leave, sick leave, or sabbaticals to maintain business operations.
Temporary workers can be employed directly by the company or through recruitment agencies. Agency workers have different rights and may move between multiple assignments, whilst direct temporary employees work exclusively for one employer during their contract period.
Temporary employment offers unique advantages and presents specific challenges for both employers and workers. Understanding these helps explain why this employment type has grown significantly in recent years.
Flexibility to adjust workforce size, access to specialist skills for projects, reduced long-term commitments and ability to trial workers before permanent hiring.
Variety of work experiences, flexibility to choose assignments, opportunity to develop new skills and potential pathway to permanent employment.
Job insecurity for workers, potential skills gaps, higher recruitment costs and need for effective onboarding processes for short-term staff.
Major retailers like John Lewis and Marks & Spencer hire thousands of temporary staff each Christmas. These workers help manage the 40% increase in customer traffic during the festive period. Many temporary Christmas staff are students home from university, providing them with holiday income whilst giving retailers experienced workers who understand customer service. Some temporary staff perform so well they're offered permanent positions after Christmas.
Both job share and temporary employees have important legal rights under UK employment law. Employers must understand these obligations to avoid discrimination and ensure fair treatment.
The law protects flexible workers from discrimination and ensures they receive fair treatment compared to full-time permanent staff.
Job sharers have the same employment rights as full-time workers, including holiday pay, sick pay and pension contributions (pro-rated to their working hours). They cannot be treated less favourably because they work part-time.
After 12 weeks in the same role, temporary workers gain equal treatment rights, including the same basic pay and working conditions as permanent staff doing similar work. They're also entitled to paid holiday from day one.
Flexible employment types like job share and temporary work have transformed how businesses operate. They allow companies to be more responsive to market changes whilst offering employees greater choice in how they work.
Smart businesses use flexible employment as a competitive advantage, attracting talent and managing costs more effectively than competitors stuck with traditional employment models.
Businesses can scale their workforce up or down based on demand, reducing fixed costs and improving profitability during quiet periods.
Offering flexible options attracts high-quality candidates who might not consider traditional full-time roles, expanding the talent pool.
Temporary specialists can provide expertise for specific projects without the long-term cost of permanent highly-skilled employees.
A small technology consultancy uses a mix of permanent staff and temporary specialists. Their core team of 8 permanent employees handles day-to-day operations, whilst they bring in temporary experts for specific client projects. For a recent blockchain project, they hired a temporary specialist for 6 months rather than training existing staff or hiring permanently. This approach kept costs down whilst delivering expert service to the client.
The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated trends towards flexible working and these employment types are likely to become even more common. Businesses that master flexible employment will have significant advantages in attracting talent and managing costs.
Technology is making it easier to coordinate job sharers and manage temporary workforces. Digital platforms help match temporary workers with opportunities, whilst collaboration tools enable seamless job sharing arrangements even when workers are in different locations.
As younger generations enter the workforce with different expectations about work-life balance, businesses that offer flexible employment options will be better positioned to attract and retain top talent.