Pronunciation: [wˈɜːk ʃˈe͡əɹɪŋ] (IPA) 
The spelling of the term "work sharing" is straightforward. The first word, "work," is spelled with a silent "o" and an "r" pronounced as /wərk/. The second word, "sharing," is spelled with an "a" and an "i" pronounced as /ˈʃɛrɪŋ/. Together, it is a compound word that refers to a program that allows employees to reduce their work hours and share the available work. The pronunciation of the word is /wərk ˈʃɛrɪŋ/.
Work sharing is a labor market practice that refers to a situation where employees agree to reduce their working hours and share the available work among themselves. It is an alternative to layoffs during periods of economic downturn or when an organization faces a temporary decrease in available work. The concept of work sharing aims to distribute job losses more evenly among employees and helps to maintain job security and stability within an organization.
In a work-sharing arrangement, employees typically agree to reduce their working hours and corresponding salaries while still maintaining their employment status. The reduced workload is distributed among the participating employees in a fair and equitable manner. This arrangement allows organizations to avoid the costs associated with permanent layoffs, such as severance pay and recruitment expenses, and helps retain skilled workers.
Work sharing is often implemented through collective bargaining or mutual agreements between employers and employees. It is recognized as a useful tool for promoting economic stability and can be particularly beneficial during times of economic crisis. By spreading the economic burden among employees, work sharing can help to minimize the negative impact on the workforce and maintain higher levels of overall employment.
Overall, work sharing provides a flexible and proactive approach to managing fluctuations in available work, ensuring job preservation for workers and contributing to a more resilient and stable labor market.
The term "work sharing" is a compound noun formed by combining the words "work" and "sharing".
The word "work" can be traced back to Old English where it was known as "weorc". It originally referred to any kind of labor or activity involving effort. Over time, it evolved to encompass a broader range of meanings related to employment and various types of tasks done for one's livelihood.
The word "sharing" derives from the Old English verb "sceran" which means "to cut" or "to divide". In Middle English, it transformed into "sheren" and acquired the sense of dividing or distributing something among multiple people.
When combined, "work sharing" describes the practice or concept of distributing work or work-related tasks among individuals or groups to share the workload and jointly accomplish a task or reach a goal.
