New research reveals that more than 2 in 5 hirers would consider recruiting for senior roles on a job share basis. Meanwhile, the 2017 Power Part Time List, launched today, features nine job share pairs excelling in leadership roles.
New research reveals that businesses are finally getting more creative in designing jobs for the UK’s workforce – with more than 2 in 5 hirers stating they would consider hiring candidates for a senior role as part of a job share.New research today by flexibility experts Timewise, reveals that more than two in five employees and owners involved in hiring (46%) would consider hiring candidates for a senior role as part of a job share1.
Coupled with the unveiling of today’s fifth Power Part Time List, the research reflects the growing number of UK businesses who are tearing-up the rule book on the ‘9 to 5, Monday to Friday’ way of recruiting, and adopting a forward-thinking approach to the design of senior part time and flexible roles, to attract and keep the very best people.
A roll-call of the UK’s top 50 men and women who work in senior, business-critical roles, all on less than full time hours; in this year’s Power Part Time List more than half of the business men and women were recruited into their roles on a part time basis.
For the first time ever, the list also includes a record number of senior job shares from an exciting and diverse range of industries not traditionally open to part time and job share arrangements, including: the Green Party (of England and Wales), the Ministry of Defence, the Home Office, Age UK, Lloyds Banking Group and the Guardian Media Group.
This year, Timewise has also introduced a new category to champion the ‘Ones to Watch’ in conjunction with the main Power List, in partnership with EY. Recognising that working part time in middle management roles often also comes with its challenges, the new category has identified 10 stellar individuals who are already working flexibly in the mid-career stage, and proving that it is possible to negotiate part time hours mid-career, as well at the top.
The list is compiled annually by Timewise co-founders Karen Mattison MBE and Emma Stewart MBE, to create more role models, debunk the myth that you cannot deliver in a top job in less than full time hours, and change the conversation on how businesses recruit senior talent.
CAROLINE LUCAS & JONATHAN BARTLEY – Joint Leaders, Green Party of England & Wales.
Caroline and Jonathan took up the role of Green Party Leader, which is elected every two years by an entire membership ballot, in September 2016. Theirs is the party’s primary public-facing role, responsible for conducting national media interviews and debates, giving speeches to conferences, and contributing to party strategy. Jonathan is a carer for his disabled son, Samuel, and the job share arrangement ensures he can be at home at certain times of the day. Caroline balances the role of leader with weekly constituency surgeries, committee work and family commitments.
Working pattern: both work parts of the day, carrying out the role alongside other commitments
ANUSHKA ASTHANA & HEATHER STEWART – Joint Political Editors at The Guardian
Proving that one of the biggest roles in British political journalismin roles that are more 24/7 than nine-to-five can work as a job share, Anushka and Heather, both mothers of young children, took up their positions at the Guardian in early 2016, just as UK politics was entering an unprecedentedly tumultuous period.
Working pattern: 4 days per week each
ALIX AINSLEY & CHARLOTTE CHERRY – Group Operations HR Director, Lloyds Banking Group
As the Group’s first senior job share, Alix and Charlotte lead a team of 30 HR professionals and are responsible for leading the development and delivery of the People Strategy for Group Operations, a division of Lloyds Banking Group. They joined the Group at the start of 2016 as a job share, after previously sharing the role of Organisation & Talent Development Leader for GE Capital UK.
Working pattern: 3 days per week each
MATT DAWSON – Director of Business Development at The Instant Group
Former England rugby captain, Matt combines a demanding sales role several days a week at Instant – a global business that specialises in providing flexible workspace for senior executives – with media roles with the BBC and other business consultancy work. He now heads up sales for the Enterprise Solutions division, working across the real estate portfolios of ‘mid-cap’ firms in the UK and EMEA.
Working pattern: 2 days per week each
KATE BROADHURST – Head of Branch at John Lewis (Peterborough), John Lewis Partnership
As a member of the John Lewis Partnership senior leadership team, Kate runs the retailer’s Peterborough store, where she is responsible for circa 500 employees. She began working part time in 2012 following the birth of her son. In 2014, Kate completed an 18 month secondment in two senior Head Office roles, both on part time hours, then took six months unpaid leave to spend time with her son before he started school.
Working pattern: 4 days per week
CHRISTINA LEMIEUX – Planning Director at Leo Burnett London
Christina is a planning director, responsible for developing global brand communications strategies for advertising agency Leo Burnett’s luxury and lifestyle clients. She began working a four day week in 2011, following the birth of her first child. Since then, she’s continued to work on global brands like British Airways, Airbnb, Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts, GHD and Max Factor. A mother of three young children, including twins, Christina has written and published a book and runs a popular blog, both of which are inspired by her upbringing in a four-generation lobster fishing family in a remote Maine village.
Working pattern: 4 days per week
Timewise Co-Founder Karen Mattison, MBE, says: “The dramatic increase in job shares on this year’s Power Part Time List offers us a glimpse into how jobs will be designed in the future. All it takes is an open minded employer who is prepared to try something new in a bid to hire or keep the best people, and an innovative solution is born. I am delighted that the conversation is moving away from WHY people need to work flexibly, to HOW businesses and individuals are making it work.”
Lynn Rattigan, Chief Operating Officer at EY, UK & Ireland, who is supporting this year’s list says: “In an increasingly competitive market for top talent, organisations need to be more creative with their hiring and retention strategies. The Power Part Time List provides examples of employers who are taking a progressive approach and inspirational business leaders that are challenging the status quo.
“We are particularly proud to be supporting the ‘Ones to Watch’ category, which profiles part time workers who are climbing the ranks. Their success stories will help to quash misconceptions, provide a set of positive role models and encourage a diverse talent pipeline of future business leaders.”
Andrew Porter, Head of Talent Engagement at Diageo, says: “The importance of flexibility in the workplace, ensuring that our people have the freedom to succeed, is one of the central tenets of our culture at Diageo. We are proud to once again support the Power Part Time list, which is testament to the growing number of forward-thinking businesses and individuals who prove that non-traditional working patterns can be hugely successful. Companies that reframe quality part time and flexible working as business critical, rather than a personal lifestyle preference, will be the ones that stay ahead of the curve.”
Tim Rodber, CEO at The Instant Group, says: “The workspace of the future is going to see people working in very different ways. Both large and small companies are attracting employees that want to work more flexibly. Workers want more choice and this includes where and when they work. It is encouraging to see the variety of companies featured on today’s new Power Part Time list – those who retain the best talent have already recognised the significant change in the way we want to work. Flexible workspaces and technology have afforded the workforce of today the opportunity to work anytime, anywhere – employers must recognise that this is an opportunity to ensure employees reach their potential whilst also maintaining a positive work/life balance.”
Andrew Saunders, Deputy Editor, Management Today, says: “The most successful employers of the future will be flexible, because the most talented employees of the future will demand to work flexibly. That’s the lesson of this year’s Power Part Time list, and it’s one that progressive and forward thinking organisations everywhere should embrace. You need to learn how to make flexibility work if your organisation is going to keep winning in the shape-shifting world of 21st Century work.”
Follow these links for the full list of this year’s Top 50 Power Part Timers and Ones to Watch
Published January 2017
– ENDS –
Please contact Campaign Director, Jo Burkill at press@timewise.co.uk
1 Source: Industry analysis conducted by ComRes. ComRes surveyed 200 UK employees and owners involved in hiring by telephone between November 30th and December 16th 2016. Data was weighted to be representative of UK adults in employment by region, broad industry sector and public / private split. ComRes is a member of the British Polling Council and abides by its rules. Full data tables are available at www.comresglobal.com.
2 Source: Analysis of the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings 2016. Conducted by the Learning & Work Institute in January 2017, on behalf of Timewise.
3 Timewise analysis of the latest available national Labour Market Statistics published by the Office for National Statistics at the time of writing (published on 18 January 2017). 8,551,000 people work 30 hrs/wk or less in the UK. Source: See ‘total people working part time column’, p.45: file://dcsrv/FolderRedirection/dmarchesi/Downloads/UK%20labour%20market%20Jan%202017.pdf
Timewise (www.timewise.co.uk) is a multi-award winning social business and leading change agent for the flexible recruitment market in the UK.
Experts in flexible hiring, with 12 years’ experience, Timewise is led by founders Karen Mattison and Emma Stewart, CEO, who have been made MBEs and won a range of awards for their work (see below).
Timewise undertakes a range of activities to articulate the business benefits of quality part time and flexible work, designed to boost the number of jobs that are advertised with flexible working possibilities in the UK, and provides a range of advisory and recruitment services for employers.
The Group’s three business divisions include:
Timewise’s work has been recognised by thought leaders, policy makers and the business community, including: Resolution Foundation, the Confederation of British Industry, the Greater London Authority, the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, the Cabinet Office, the Recruitment Employment Confederation, the Chartered Institute for Professional Development and the British Chamber of Commerce.
Organisations that have advertised jobs through us, or used our consultancy service, include EY, Diageo, ITV, Sony Entertainment, Macmillan Cancer Support, McDonalds, EasyJet and more.
Karen and Emma have been named ‘Breaking the Mould’ award winners by the Institute of Directors (November 2014), ‘Women Changing the Business World’ by the IoD’s Director magazine (February 2014), two of the UK’s ‘Top 50 Radicals’ by the Observer and NESTA (Feb 2012), two of the ‘most exciting social entrepreneurs to watch’ by Real Business Magazine and named ‘Small Business Heroes’ by Management Today (May 2013).
