234Finance: Recession? Consider a Part-Time Engagement

Part-time engagements have become widespread; there are part-time professionals in almost every organisation and sector. The world is moving at a pace whereby people are no longer glued to one company to make ends meet. Sometimes, your ability to successfully handle a couple of jobs on part-time basis or agreement might even present an opportunity to set up your own business by the side. Also, working for several companies can provide enough field exposure to build on. However, it is quite challenging and sometimes fickle despite the financial rewards.

Some individuals have chosen to explore part-time engagements to cater to their numerous personal obligations or solve problems. However, overtime, it becomes overwhelming. Is there a way to create a healthy work-life balance to allow for optimal management of part-time jobs?

In a research study carried out across board on a variety of part-time professionals – mostly women – bespoke solutions were created to better juggle part-time work arrangements. Each person provided their secrets to success in attaining work-life balance.

One of them is transparency. Here, they ensure that their schedules, obligations and plans for the future are clearly spelt out to their employers, so that mutual arrangements are made – leaving all parties satisfied, whilst keeping the best interest of the job or assignment in view.
Some endeavour to build a good work relationship with senior management, which serves as a backup and protects their interests at all levels. They also put in their best like every other full-time employee on the company’s payroll in order to ensure impact and register their relevance.

These women also try to manage the working relationship between themselves and other full-time workers plus superiors. They must operate tactically to avoid criticism or outright conspiracy resulting from envy and avoid squabbles that might deteriorate to scenarios of protests against them. Since most part-time agreements are usually informal, they have to be sensitive, hardworking and display a healthy teamwork spirit.
They also have to be smart, as their roles tend to change, as the company demands their services on different tasks and at different levels.

Working with an organisation on a part-time basis has its hitches, but every smart professional quickly learns how to stand out and deliver excellent results, all the time.

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Photo Credit: Hongqi Zhang (aka Michael Zhang) | Dreamstime.com