Organizational Models: Jobsplitting, Jobpairing, and Topsharing#
Jobsplitting assigns distinct modular duties independently. Jobpairing shares joint accountability across the entire operational portfolio. Topsharing scales this dual model into executive, director, and management tiers.
Crafting an Effective Tandem Job Application#
A winning duo application showcases seamless coordination from day one: a joint cover letter highlighting complementary skill sets, two individually structured CVs formatted in identical visual aesthetics, and an operational handover roadmap.
Contractual Framework Under Swiss Law#
Swiss law typically establishes two distinct, independent part-time employment contracts. The departure of one tandem partner does not automatically terminate the other partner's legal contract without lawful grounds.
Corporate Benefits for Swiss Organizations#
Employers gain continuous position coverage during holidays or sick leave, dual problem-solving perspectives (four-eyes principle), and enhanced retention of high-caliber talent.
Critical Success Factors for Daily Execution#
Mandatory weekly handover meetings (at least 1–2 hours), shared communication channels, and equitable distribution of responsibilities prevent friction.
Contract and workload: how to calculate a tandem properly#
Job sharing rarely fails on the will of those involved but on the arithmetic. A tandem with two 60 % workloads comes to 120 % – the additional 20 % is handover time, and it must be in the budget, otherwise the model is quietly ended after six months.
- Budget handover time. Allow at least two hours of joint handover per week, plus one joint meeting per month.
- Contract design. Two variants are common in Switzerland: two separate employment contracts with clearly separated workloads, or one contract with two employees. The second variant needs a joint-and-several or substitution clause, otherwise the employer is liable for unclear responsibilities.
- Holidays and absences. Coordinate holidays so that both are never absent at the same time – and record this in writing.
- Termination. Clarify in advance what applies if one person gives notice: does the remaining person have a claim to take over the full workload, or is the arrangement dissolved jointly?
Anyone who clarifies these four points before the first working day avoids the typical conflicts. Anyone who leaves them open negotiates them later under time pressure.
Case example: a tandem dossier that convinced#
A tandem applies for a management role in people development. The dossier consists of five parts, and precisely this structure makes it verifiable:
- A joint motivation letter – one page, signed by both, naming the division of work.
- Two CVs in an identical layout – same font, same structure, otherwise the dossier looks pieced together.
- One page on the division of work – which task lies with whom, who is the contact for which stakeholders, how the handover works.
- A joint project as a reference – proof that the collaboration has worked, not just that it is planned.
- A substitution rule – one sentence is enough: «During absences the other person takes over the deputising role.»
The part that convinces most in the interview is point four. A tandem that only sounds good but cannot show a joint result is read as a risk – not as a model.