Lene Niemann Nejsum first became aware of the flexible job scheme in 2020 when she was contacted by a molecular biologist undergoing vocational clarification. The individual joined the lab through a company internship, and the experience was positive. In 2024, she hired Frederikke Liebst Poulsen and Simon Skovbo Lassen for her research group.

“I needed help handling tissue samples. My lab manager was in charge of this, but the workload increased, and we needed extra capacity. I knew I couldn’t hire a full-time employee, so the flexible job solution was a perfect fit for our needs. I posted a job listing in the flexible job newspaper,” says Lene Niemann Nejsum.

Frederikke Liebst Poulsen, a trained biomedical laboratory technician with relevant experience, immediately applied for the position when she saw the job advertisement. Simon Skovbo Lassen, with a keen interest in natural sciences and IT, also applied.

Struggling within the system

Biomedical laboratory technician Frederikke Liebst Poulsen, now employed in a flexible job within Lene Niemann Nejsum’s research group, knows the challenges of finding the right place in the job market.

“Before you get a flexible job, it requires a lot of time spent in company internships to figure out what you can do under your individual circumstances and what accommodations are needed. After that, the job search process begins, and you just hope someone thinks, ‘Let’s take a chance. Let’s call in a flexible job applicant and see what they can do,’” says Frederikke.

As a neurodivergent individual, Simon Skovbo Lassen had difficulty fitting into the educational system. Over time, it became harder for him to meet the increasing demands society placed on him.

It all culminated in a period of unemployment and struggles with the job center.

“It was a long, drawn-out process that took a toll on me. It felt like I was drowning in a system that didn’t understand me,” he explains.

However, during this struggle, an opportunity arose when he came across the flexible job position within Lene Niemann Nejsum’s research group and submitted an application.

“I specifically requested that the job center not pre-screen applications, which allowed me to receive Simon’s. He was interested in natural sciences and IT and curious about our work. I had been considering setting up a website for the group, so I thought this could be a good match,” says Lene Niemann Nejsum.

Greater flexibility in daily life

Simon first joined the research group through an internship and started working on setting up a website. He was later hired, and his tasks have since expanded to include image editing.
“What I love about this job is the freedom to find my own solutions. I have the flexibility to work when I can and want to, and Lene trusts me to take initiative,” says Simon.

Frederikke focuses on tissue sample management and highlights the importance of workplaces seeing the opportunities that flexible jobs provide.

“It may take a little extra effort to employ someone in a flexible job, but it can bring so much to the workplace. There are many unique skills and highly specialized talents out there that, for one reason or another, require a flexible job,” she says.

For Lene Niemann Nejsum, hiring flexible job employees has given the research group greater flexibility and the ability to expand their professional scope.

“Simon and our other flexible job employees each bring different skills and handle tasks that don’t require a full-time position. By having Frederikke take over responsibility for tissue samples, it freed up resources for my lab manager to take on other important tasks,” Lene explains.

Setting the stage for success

An important aspect of Lene’s leadership strategy is considering the needs of each employee and allowing individual accommodation.

“We have ongoing discussions about how they are doing. For example, I give Simon the freedom to work from home when it suits him, and we have an agreement that he will contact me if any issues arise. Creating the right environment is key to making the collaboration a success for both parties,” she says.

“It’s been a period of learning what my abilities are worth. I feel lucky to have found a place that offers trust and flexibility while providing ample opportunities for professional growth,” says Simon.

Simon is open about the challenges he has faced. He describes periods of burnout due to his neurodivergence, but thanks to open dialogue with Lene, he has always found a way to recover.

“It’s important to be open about what you need. Not just for good collaboration, but also so your boss knows when things are getting difficult and can offer support. Lene has always been supportive, and that has helped me stay on track and connected to our shared goals,” he explains.

A Message to research leaders: “See the opportunities in flexible jobs”

Lene emphasizes that flexible job employees can add significant value to a research environment and encourages other research leaders to be open to the scheme.

“There’s a misconception that flexible job workers only handle unskilled tasks, but they represent a broad spectrum of society. They can be academics, technicians, or something entirely different. I want to help raise awareness of the scheme so we can match flexible job workers with tasks that don’t require full-time positions,” she says.

Frederikke agrees:

“People often associate flexible jobs with unskilled labor. There’s this assumption that if you’re in a flexible job, you’re probably unskilled. But that’s far from the truth. There’s so much potential and so many valuable competencies available if you’re open and curious about using flexible job workers,” she says.

Simon hopes his story will inspire others in flexible jobs to seek opportunities within the academic world.

“There are many people like me who are stuck in the system with hidden talents. Universities have positions that don’t require full-time commitments, making them ideal for matching with flexible job candidates. My current job has convinced me that our skills are needed and that we have something valuable to contribute,” he concludes.

Contact

Professor Lene Niemann Nejsum
Aarhus University, Department of Clinical Medicine
Phone: 21 16 31 21
Email: nejsum@clin.au.dk
Webpage: Nejsumlab.au.dk