Claire's flex work story
Claire has years of experience working flexibly including part-time work hours and pitching to job share a full-time role. She shares her tips for a flexible work approach and mindset.
“I soon realized... If it was imperative for me to attend the meeting, in most occasions they would rearrange the meeting to suit my work days... It was my ego who wanted to attend the meeting, it was not imperative to my role or succeeding.”
Can you please tell us a bit about yourself?
I'm a passionate mindset and developmental coach who mentors ambitious women and unique learners, helping them overcome labels and release limitation, feel fully confident in their abilities, and tap into their true potential.
I have an extensive education and a background in Marketing, Communications and Student Engagement. My coaching work also includes a Career Advisor position at a university.
What flexible work arrangements (part-time hours, job share, flexible hours, working remotely, compressed hours) have you experienced and how have these worked for you?
I currently work at a part-time capacity with the flexibility to work from home from time to time. I find that is it imperative to support my work-life balance. I believe I have a greater ability to concentrate on the important things and have developed task orientated work style. I am more productive and focused when I am at work due to working at a part-time capacity and find the completion of tasks and projects motivating. Previously, I would have held onto tasks and revisited again and again instead of focusing on the completion and how that adds value to the organization.
What advice would you give to a person applying for a position to be job shared?
Do not be put off if it has never been done before. If you don’t ask the answer is no. And what a great opportunity to lead the way in the organization.
Present your proposal and show the organization how sharing the position will benefit the organization.
What advice would you give to a person starting out in a job share arrangement?
Clear communication and feedback. I believe that it is imperative to agree on the effective and preferred way of communicating for both parties. Providing feedback frequently and giving suggestions so that both parties (and the organization) understand and are clear in the direction.
Use the feedback to better your skills and development, do not take things personally. Having that understanding will ensure you are creating a healthy and fair working environment.
What advice should they ignore?
That it cannot be done (I don’t agree). Anything is possible.
What belief or behaviour has been most helpful to you in successfully working part-time and/or job share? How?
Perfection is how you see yourself in someone else’s eyes. You do not need to be perfect to succeed. That realization was a turning point for me to be able to focus on the important things and not worry about getting it perfect. If it is 80% there, that is good enough, no one will notice the 20%. This mindset has developed my task driven, get it done working style.
What have you become better at saying no to (invitations, meetings, time wasters)? What new work habits helped? Any other tips?
When I first started working part-time, if there was a meeting on my days off, I would want to rearrange my working days and time so I could attend. I soon realized, there was no need to do this. If it was imperative for me to attend the meeting, in most occasions they would rearrange the meeting to suit my work days. More often than not, I would get what I needed from the meeting in the minutes and I can add any information I needed prior to the meeting. It was my ego who wanted to attend the meeting, it was not imperative to my role or succeeding.