While job hunting, you may find that there are some positions that refer vaguely to a diverse degree of work that will be your responsibility. It can look daunting at first glance, but properly crafting job postings should make some mention that an opportunity like this is a ‘dual role’ or ‘split position’.
These roles can look overwhelming and the usual increase in pay that accompanies them can look tempting, but dual roles are not a good fit for just anybody. If you are interested in pursuing a role such as this, take a look at our guidelines below and determine if these are the right kind of roles for you.
What is a Dual Job Opportunity?
Dual jobs are opportunities that include the responsibilities of, at least, two positions in one title. In most cases, this also includes a pay bump of some kind, as you are taking on more responsibility and tasks to be completed within the same amount of time. In terms of healthcare positions, you might see this with nurses who split their time between hands-on care and teaching, or with radiology technologists who split their time between radiology and ultrasound specialties.
Keep in mind that this is different than dual employment, which usually refers to having two separate jobs at the same time. It can also appear with specific variations, such as a tipped dual job, which refers to a position that depends on tips half the time and regular pay for the other portion. The dual job opportunities that we are breaking down today are different than these, but because they are still rising in popularity, it pays to be aware of their variations so you are not thrown for a loop if you see them in a different context.
People who have busy and diverse workloads might be more familiar with this concept. Many workplaces who implement it do not define it properly, either because they have another term for it or because they confuse it with variations such as split shift roles, which ask you to divide your time into two part-time positions, usually taking on less in each area than a full-time employee would. A dual role expects you to complete the work of a full-time employee of two positions, so even if it is labeled as otherwise, any position that expects this is a dual position.
What is a Dual-Hybrid Job?
Where these positions get really interesting is when hybrid roles are combined with dual jobs. While this is still an experimental area, the recent growth and success of hybrid workplaces has brought life into this movement.
Ultimately, dual-hybrid roles are those that divide workload based on location. As a Teaching Registered Nurse, you might divide your duties between the hospital and the classroom, meaning that you teach only when in the classroom and care for patients only when in the hospital. Emergency Medical Technicians, or EMTs, might be expected to work the same days and shift lengths as their fellow EMTs, but still have additional administrative duties to handle on days they are not assigned to field work.
With the growing demand for hybrid workplaces, there is a great possibility for more diverse hybrid healthcare roles. Instead of dual-role employees working on-site at all times, allowing them to work from home for one of their roles can come with major benefits for both the employee and the employer.
Employees can work administrative and support roles from the comfort of their own homes, allowing them to enjoy the benefits of hybrid workplaces that office workers have been enjoying in recent years, such as reduced stress, increased productivity, increased focus, and more. Employers can take advantage of hybrid work situations by utilizing the on-site office space for other means, such as additional rooms for patients, storage, or whatever type of space is most in need.
The coronavirus pandemic gave office workers the chance to work from home and gave healthcare workers increased hours in dangerous situations. Thankfully, forward-thinking workplaces are realizing that hybrid workplaces can be adapted to a great deal of fields outside of dedicated offices. If you are interested in finding new opportunities that would allow you to enjoy workplace benefits such as this, then check out our job page here, or send us an updated resume here. If you are an employer looking to bring in dual employees who have the talent and drive to create effective workplaces like these, then contact us here, and join the wave of change that is sweeping the healthcare industry.
