The Power of Two: Top 10 Takeaways from our Job Shares LinkedIn Live!

Job sharing is often misunderstood, seen as complicated, niche, or only suitable for junior roles. But as flexibility expectations shift and organisations fight to retain experienced talent, job sharing is becoming a highly strategic workforce model.

In our recent LinkedIn Live, Abigail Barclay, MD of Inspired Search, was joined by Ana McLaughlin and Elizabeth Masters, a long‑standing senior job share partnership at Hachette UK. Together, they offered an honest, practical look at how job sharing works, why it’s so effective, and how organisations can make the most of it.

Here are the top ten takeaways you need to know.

1. Many job shares begin with a life transition, and grow into long-term partnerships

For Elizabeth, returning from maternity leave raised the question of whether full‑time was sustainable. Ana had covered her role, leadership suggested a job share, and the rest is history!

What started as a solution to a transition became a partnership that has strengthened the publicity function and shaped both of their careers. It’s a reminder that job shares aren’t just flexible working models, they can be succession planning tools and talent‑retention strategies.

2. True flexibility is achieved

One of the most compelling benefits they shared: a job share offers real part‑time working at senior level.

No more “doing a full-time job in fewer days.”

No more “20% less pay for the same workload.”

On their days off, they are off. Because someone equally capable is in the role. This is what sustainable flexibility actually looks like.

3. Ego has no place in a job share, collaboration does

Both speakers were clear: job sharing only works when individuals can let go of personal ownership.

You must be comfortable with:

• Sharing credit
• Sharing visibility
• Sharing responsibility
• Speaking about your partner’s strengths as readily as your own

If you crave solo spotlight or rely on being the singular point of knowledge, job sharing may feel restrictive. But for those with a collaborative mindset, it’s liberating and powerful.

4. Organisation is everything

This was a recurring theme:

Job sharing requires systems, structure and discipline.

Their non-negotiables include:

• A fully shared inbox (their top piece of advice)
• Clear folder systems
• Detailed notes after every meeting or update
• Transparent handovers
• “Nothing kept in your head”

This is what creates seamless continuity, and eliminates duplication or missed gaps.

5. Two heads = broader creativity, deeper expertise and better coverage

In this live, we heard about the publicity division in particular and it became very clear that for this department, the benefits of job sharing are huge. Ana and Elizabeth each bring different interests, contacts, and editorial instincts. Together, they offer:

• Double the creativity
• Broader media relationships
• Increased diversity of ideas
• The ability to split tours, travel and events sustainably
• More availability for authors and stakeholders
• Emotional balance: “If one panics, the other stays calm.”
• Authors often benefit from more consistent support, not less.

6. Job sharing can extend and enrich careers

For Ana, job sharing enables a thriving portfolio career in poetry and events alongside senior in-house publicity.

For Elizabeth, it has provided support, confidence and the ability to test new ideas without the isolation that often comes with senior roles.

Both highlighted how job sharing:

• Prevents burnout
• Allows space for creativity
• Makes demanding roles more sustainable long‑term
• Creates psychological safety by having a partner to sense-check decisions

7. It’s a powerful retention tool, especially for senior women

This was a major theme.

Of course, job sharing isn’t only for women! However, we did hear that many mid‑career women leave the industry because the structure simply doesn’t fit their lives anymore which often contain other caring responsibilities. Job sharing helps publishers retain people when they are at a stage often marked those dual caring responsibilities, perhaps their own health needs, and moreover the intense personal logistics that come with life.

Job sharing protects:

• Experienced talent
• Institutional knowledge
• Industry networks
• Leadership continuity

As Elizabeth said:

“We have to protect the next generation. Otherwise, we’ll see the same cycle in 10 years’ time.”

8. Job sharing isn’t suitable for everyone and that’s OK

The speakers were honest about this. Job sharing may not suit someone who:

• Struggles with organisation
• Keeps information in their head
• Has a strong need for solo recognition
• Prefers working fully independently
• Is uncomfortable with shared responsibility

It’s a high-trust, high-communication model, and that’s exactly why it works.

9. To propose a job share, build a clear business case

Their advice: treat it like any strategic pitch.

Show how a job share provides:

• Better coverage
• Broader expertise
• Increased creativity
• Stronger continuity
• Reduced burnout risk
• A more resilient team structure

And most importantly: explain what the business gains, not just what you gain personally.

If you don’t yet have a job-sharing partner in mind, Inspired can help match compatible professionals beyond your existing network.

10. Publishers need to normalise conversations about flexible leadership

Ana urged publishers to stop losing brilliant mid-career talent due to rigid structures and Elizabeth emphasised that flexibility isn’t a “nice-to-have”, it’s a business driver.

It improves retention, morale, autonomy and ultimately performance.

The message was clear:

If we want a diverse, sustainable, future-ready publishing industry, flexible senior roles must be part of the conversation.

Job sharing is a strategic leadership model that brings more creativity, more resilience and more humanity to senior roles.

Stream the episode in full here. 

If you’re exploring job sharing as an organisation or a professional, please contact our CEO Suzy Astbury – s.astbury@inspiredselection.com, and do continue to look out for further guidance and events on the topic from us at Inspired.