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Work Styles |
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Many people work in traditional full-time, full year work. What were the other 50% of us doing? We were working part-time, job sharing, working from home, telecommuting, doing seasonal work, working casual jobs or working on a contract basis. What does all this mean? It means employers and workers in the New Economy have to be flexible. The standard 9-to-5 jobs have given way to a whole host of working arrangements. Some of these working patterns result in people sharing jobs thereby employing more people; others help to reduce a company’s overhead by saving on rent or travel expenses. Still others help to make better use of a worker’s time by eliminating the commute or increasing time spent with families. Here are some of the strategies that reflect a new attitude to work in the New Economy. Job Sharing Many workers are wanting to devote more of their time to personal activities like education or raising children. For many, sharing a job with a co-worker has been a way to continue employment while freeing up time. In these situations, two people share all of the responsibilities, salary and benefits of one full-time position. Many see job sharing as a way to increase employment, employing more people in shorter work weeks. In most job sharing situations, however, workers have to be willing to accept less in benefits and salary in exchange for more time, an arrangement some people prefer. 
Temporary Work There are many agencies which match the skills of workers with the temporary needs of employers and arrange temporary work assignments. Temporary employees, or ‘Temps,’ sample a variety of different companies and tasks but usually lack benefits and regular schedules. Temp work can provide a wide-variety of on-the-job experience and help a young worker get a foot in the door. It’s kind of like a salad bar. A little of this and a little of that, and it all adds up to a career! For me, instead of having a full-time job, managing two or three part-time jobs has brought me the variety, flexibility and experience that keeps me going and makes me happy. There are a multitude of benefits from this type of working style. For example, if you are someone who is multi-talented, a couple of part-time jobs may enable you to use your favorite skills and interests in a way a full-time job might not allow. If you crave excitement, part-time work can offer you more freedom to jump into new opportunities. In his book, New Rules, Daniel Yankelovich says that a shift is occurring from an ethic of success defined as a high-paying job and a house and a car, to success defined as a sense of self-fulfillment. This trend means people are asking themselves what gives meaning and satisfaction to life. A high-paying job and a climb up the corporate ladder may not necessarily fit the bill. By investigating your full range of interests through part-time work, you can put yourself in a better position to decide what your strengths are and how you can best use them to achieve a sense of self-fulfillment. I have a half-time job with a non-profit society and work the other half as a consultant on short-term communications, research and human relations contracts. I love the freedom that this working style permits me. Working with a variety of companies and non-profit organizations, I’m always meeting new people, learning about new projects and going to new places. I have the freedom to arrange my own schedule, choose the projects I want to work on and manage my own time. Part-time and contract working opportunities are everywhere. You can work for someone else and have your own business. You can find a job through a friend. You can work days, nights, weekends -- whatever suits you best. And by being flexible, you have a great resource to offer your potential employers (and/or clients) who may need you in an emergency or on a temporary basis. Your ability to offer your time and skills on short notice gives you an advantage. Instead of testing the waters of only one company, your feet are getting wet in many. You are twice (or thrice) as likely to hear about job openings, can make more new contacts and are well-situated for advancement if an opportunity presents itself. Part-time work is a great path to starting your own business. If you can obtain at least one job that pays the bills, you can spend the rest of your time pursuing your ideas, doing market research and getting your own business off the ground. Call your business Anything Goes and work on contracts as a landscaper in the summer and a researcher/writer in the winter. Make arrangements to work from home part-time and see how you like it. Build a clientele of businesses that like your style and often need your services. The possibilities are endless! If you are considering the option of a sampling of part-time and contract jobs instead of one full-time job, remember: the skills you use and the contacts you make will help you become more versatile, experienced and, most of all, employable. Casual/On-Call When extra staff is needed during peak seasons or when employees are absent, many companies turn to their pool of casual or on-call workers. These are people who are willing to work sporadically and often with very little notice. Not a pattern for people who crave order and a regular working schedule, casual and on-call work does provide on-the-job experience and can lead to work with more regular hours. Part-Time Part-time jobs do not exceed 30 hours a week. Workers often use these positions to gain industry experience and skills. While some part-time positions provide benefits, the majority do not. Often, however, part-time experience can lead to full-time employment. Seasonal Work Outdoor jobs that cannot take place year-round are very prevalent in the tourism industry. For example, a ski resort may need many workers in the winter and few or none in the summer, while a golf and tennis club needs many workers in the summer and few in the winter. Often construction, road building, fishing, agriculture and forestry jobs are also seasonal. This work is ideal for students who like to work in the summer to earn tuition money or for multi-skilled people who enjoy variety and are willing to do one job in summer and another in winter. Leave of Absence In order to take time for education, parenting, travelling or exploring new career options, workers in some organizations can take a leave of absence. This type of leave can provide employees with a few months or even a year away from work without giving up their jobs permanently. While some employees are away, temporary or contract workers are employed to fill the gap. Flextime Working a flexible schedule, or flextime, usually means employees can choose their own hours and create their own working schedules as long as the job gets done. It’s evidence that companies are increasingly realizing that different people work best in different situations and allowing them to choose their ultimate working pattern will result in happy, productive employees. Some may choose to work longer hours in exchange for days off, start work early in the morning and leave earlier in the day or work a schedule that changes week-to-week, depending on the demands of the job and other commitments. Telecommuting Jobs which involve the transfer or input of information do not always mean the employee has to be in the company office to get the job done. Telecommuting means that rather than commuting via public transit or the family car, an employee can stay home and communicate with the office using telecommunications equipment like the fax, phone and e-mail. It’s also a way for workers who travel to keep in touch while on the road. Contract Work/Freelancing Artists, writers, editors, photographers, computer consultants, business consultants, researchers and graphic designers often work on a freelance or contract basis, meaning they are not employed by a single company but work for a variety of employers on a contract basis as opportunities arise. In this scenario, “employers” become “clients” and along with the skills of their specific field, contract workers must be adept at marketing their expertise to prospective clients in order to secure “jobs” or “contracts.” Contracts usually involve a limited time frame to get a job done so managing deadlines is a critical skill. Compressed Work Week A version of flextime, some companies are compressing the same amount of work hours into fewer days, enabling workers to enjoy three or even four-day weekends. For example, employees may work four ten hour days per week instead of five eight hour days. THE CONTRACT WORKER:
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