Small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) thrive when they can hire and retain top talent.
One key way leaders in these companies can entice the best people to work for them is by offering flexible working conditions.
In this article, you’ll learn about flexible working benefits and risks to overcome, the types of flexible working that have evolved over the last post-pandemic years and how to set up an adaptable system that works for you.
Key takeaways from flexible working
Flexible working arrangements are now the norm, with hybrid, remote and four-day workweeks driving retention, productivity and better work-life balance.
Popular flexible working models range from flextime and compressed weeks to job-sharing and unlimited PTO, giving SMBs options to suit different teams.
Successful implementation of flexible work depends on clear policies, the right tech stack and piloting before company-wide rollout.
Pipedrive helps flexible SMB teams fully align by streamlining collaboration, automating workflows and seamlessly integrating tools. Start your free 14-day trial today.
What is flexible working?
Flexible working offers employees alternative arrangements to the traditional 9–5 days or 40-hour workweek.
Enabling flexible working hours is especially relevant today, with hybrid roles becoming the norm, four-day schedules gaining traction and employee well-being emerging as top priorities for retention.
Employers have variable definitions of flexible working. For some, it means allowing your team time off when needed (e.g., in an emergency). For others, it’s about offering remote working or varying start and finish times.
Agile vs. flexible working: Although the terms are often interchangeable, they mean different things. Flexible working focuses on where and when work happens, while agile working focuses on how to work efficiently through prioritization and adaptability.
Here are four examples of flexible work arrangements within sales and marketing scenarios:
A SaaS tech company allows its developers to work from home in different states, provided they all attend the daily meeting at 2 PM EST
A marketing agency lets team members start their day between 7 AM and 10 AM, as long as they complete their daily set tasks and meet deadlines
An SMB project manager role is split between two part-time employees, allowing them time to balance work with childcare and other commitments
A B2B sales team deploys a four-day workweek between selling from home, the office and in the field during reps’ preferred hours while still meeting targets and sales quotas
Businesses increasingly offer flexible working arrangements to support employee mental health and reduce workplace stress caused by rigid schedules and long commutes.
Mercer research shows that flexibility is the most valued workplace benefit across generations in 2025.
In the same study, 69% of hybrid employees say they’re thriving in their role compared to on-site (63%) and remote colleagues (58%)..
Certain industries have shifted to flexible work faster than others. According to Moneypenny, IT, advertising and marketing are the top sectors adapting to flexible work in the US.
Companies in various sectors can see more engaged and productive teams by encouraging a healthier work-life balance.
Advantages and disadvantages of flexible working
Flexible working offers a range of benefits and challenges for employers and employees.
Understanding the advantages and risks can help you make more informed decisions about implementing or adjusting policies within your organization.
Here are some typical advantages and disadvantages that arise from workplace flexibility.
Advantage 1: Retaining happier employees
Flexible working promises a healthier work-life balance, helping employees avoid burnout and stress.
A mentally healthy team is often more engaged and motivated to do its best work.
Since most organizations offered some form of flexible working during the pandemic with high success rates and continue doing so in the post-pandemic years, many employees now seek and expect this as a standard option.
They’re also more likely to leave if the flexibility isn’t available, which explains why - according to Buffer - 66% of remote workers looking for new job opportunities say it’s important for their potential new role to also be remote.
According to Buffer’s survey research of over 3,000 people, 98% would like to work remotely (at least sometimes) for the rest of their careers – and even recommend the setup to others.
When employees have some control over their schedules, they feel more empowered and satisfied in their roles. Over time, this can lead to higher retention rates.
In fact, according to The Conference Board’s research, 76% of people say they’re more likely to stay in their role when they have a good work-life balance.
Advantage 2: Recruiting from a more diverse talent pool
Flexible working allows companies to recruit from a larger, more diverse talent pool.
Fewer location-based hiring limitations mean businesses can attract top talent worldwide. It also creates hiring opportunities for people with ongoing daily or weekly commitments, such as parents, students and carers.
A more diverse team leads to varied perspectives, experiences and ideas. A broader range of creative thinkers and problem-solvers enables companies to:
Find new ways to innovate
Connect with a wider customer base and
Become more profitable
For example, McKinsey research found that companies with 30% or more women outperform their competitors financially. Companies in the top quartile for ethnic diversity have an average financial advantage of 27%.
Businesses that create an inclusive environment position themselves as progressive and forward-thinking, appealing to a bigger range of candidates to reap these benefits.
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Advantage 3: Increasing workforce productivity
Flexible working options often lead to higher job satisfaction and productivity levels.
Many people can do their best work when given the freedom to choose environments and own schedules that suit their personal preferences.
One study found that 94% of UK workers chose the flexibility to work remotely as the top way to increase their productivity and happiness.
US workers cited bonuses as the main reason, though working from home came in a close second for 91%.
Advantage 4: Meeting CSR and ESG goals
Flexible working can help companies reduce environmental impact by lowering commute-related carbon emissions.
According to one study, remote work can reduce an employee’s carbon footprint by 54%.
By supporting remote work, companies can demonstrate their commitment to sustainability. The results of these emission cuts can help businesses more easily meet their corporate social responsibility (CSR) and environmental, social and governance (ESG) goals.
Achieving – and publicizing – CSR and ESG initiatives can drive sales and positively impact your bottom line.
Vericast’s 2021 Consumer Intel report suggested that people were more likely to buy and remain loyal to environmentally responsible brands (and shout about it).
According to Deloitte the trend remains strong, with 80% of consumers willing to pay around 10% more for sustainable brands in 2024. Flexible work allowances support a lower-impact business model and feed into the modern buyer’s sustainability mindset.
Disadvantage 1: Learning to balance communication
Employers may worry that remote working leads to more personal life interruptions.
However, interruptions are just as likely in the office as away from it. In fact, research suggests that office teams lose 62 more hours of work annually through daily interruptions than remote workers.
The concern around less face-to-face communication can also lead to more unnecessary virtual team meetings, resulting in “Zoom fatigue” (feeling burned out from overusing video calling platforms).
To combat this inefficiency, business owners and human resources (HR) teams can:
Create clear communication and meeting policies that streamline interactions.
Leverage remote working tools to help teams stay in touch synchronously (in real time) and asynchronously (not in real time). More on these tools later.
Reduce unnecessary online meetings to ensure communication remains efficient and purposeful when employees aren’t in the same physical work location.
Disadvantage 2: Limiting team bonding
Some companies may worry that a dispersed team working different hours won’t feel as cohesive.
However, Buffer’s research also suggests that 75% of remote workers still feel connected to their colleagues. Employees who struggle to build strong interpersonal relationships online may not naturally connect in a physical office space, either.
Founder John Martin says “communication, flexibility and a bit of fun” are his secrets to running a productive remote team:
Through team-building activities and regular check-ins, meaningful relationships can develop across all environments. Some introverted employees may even prefer less intimidating screen conversations over in-person interactions.
Disadvantage 3: Losing a watchful eye
Managers may be concerned about being unable to closely monitor employee performance and productivity when working asynchronously from different places.
Instead of gauging performance in person, managers can use other systems (e.g., virtual scorecards) and technology (e.g., employee evaluation software) to review teams working across time zones and locations.
Example: A digital marketing agency may use project management software to track task completion and client feedback. Managers oversee everyone’s progress without constant check-ins.
Instead of time-tracking, flexible working companies should focus on creating an organizational culture of trust – and hiring those who fit it.
Founder Jas Schembri-Stothart believes employers should demonstrate trust from day one.
By encouraging open communication, team members should have the autonomy to work flexibly as long as they keep everyone informed.
9 types of flexible working arrangements
As the work landscape continues to evolve, many organizations are exploring various flexible working arrangements to meet the diverse needs of employees.
From telework to job-sharing, these options offer different ways to balance personal and professional lives while enhancing productivity.
Businesses explore and implement flexible working requests in different ways. Here are nine of the most typical types of flexible working arrangements with real examples of brands that offer them – from enterprise and B2B to SMB settings:
Type of flexible work | What that looks like in practice |
Remote work (telework) | Employees work from a location other than your company’s office (e.g., from home or a co-workspace). |
Hybrid working | Employees split their time between working remotely and working from the office (e.g., three days from home and two days in the office). |
Flextime/flexitime | Employees are free to choose their start and end times within a set range of core hours (e.g., starting between 7–10 AM and finishing between 3–6 PM). Real-life example: ERP software firm SAP allows flexible schedules, letting employees adjust their start and end times while meeting core hours. |
Compressed workweek | Employees work a longer number of hours over fewer days (e.g., four 10-hour days). |
Four-day workweek | Employees work regular daily hours over four days (e.g., four 8-hour days means 32 weekly hours is full-time). |
Part-time work | Employees work fewer hours weekly than a full-time schedule, sometimes with reduced responsibilities (e.g., 20 part-time hours a week). |
Shift work | Employees work in shifts that cover different times of day or night (e.g., one shift may be 10 PM to 6 AM while the next is 8 AM to 4 PM). |
Job-sharing | Two or more employees share the hours of one full-time position (e.g., two employees each work 20 hours a week to cover one role’s responsibilities). |
Results-only work environment (ROWE) | Companies assess employees according to the results and outcomes they deliver, rather than the number of hours they work or their office presence. Real-life example: Family-owned media brand WATT Global Media operates a ROWE strategy across the board, prioritizing performance and accountability to drive “superior results”. |
Unlimited PTO policies | Employees can take as much leave as they need (with manager approval). Real-life example: Netflix pioneered unlimited PTO, trusting employees to manage their leave as needed while maintaining performance. |
Additional leave arrangements | Employees take extended leave or combine work with travel (e.g., “workcations”) where they work remotely from a vacation destination. |
Switching to a fully remote setup or compressed hours may not be possible for your company. However, you could still consider a blend of arrangements (e.g., remote work two days a week and flextime for the other three) to meet your team’s needs and support overall productivity.
Note: Learn more about the different types of flexible work schedules in our dedicated guide.
7 top tips for offering flexible working as a business owner
Adopting flexible working policies can improve employee engagement and productivity.
However, success also requires an organizational strategy that considers your company’s needs and operations.
Here are seven ways to start offering flexible working practices, with essentials you should know to implement each step.
1. Assess employee needs and preferences
Timeline | 2–4 weeks |
Budget | Low: survey tools, HR time |
Tech | Google Forms, Typeform, Culture Amp, TINYPulse |
Understanding how your team wants to work is the first step in creating sustainable, flexible working policies.
Surveying staff can help you gain valuable insights into their preferred arrangements (e.g., remote work, hybrid models or flexible hours).
For example, you may find that most team members would like to work remotely daily, while a smaller group prefers to be in the office a couple of days a week.
Using that feedback, you could offer full-time remote work but arrange a monthly in-person meeting or local co-working space for those who want to join.
You can gather employee feedback through:
Sending out anonymous surveys
Holding focus groups
Having one-on-one discussions for more detailed insights
Setting up a dedicated feedback channel in your team messaging software
Encouraging open-door policies for informal chats
Using an employee listening platform, like Culture Amp or TINYPulse
Employees’ reasons for wanting flexible working can vary widely, so it’s essential to consider all needs.
For example, here are two scenarios founder Shoaib Ahmed offers:
By involving employees in the conversation from the start, you’re more likely to get broader buy-in and adoption when you roll out new arrangements.
2. Build your remote work tech stack
Timeline | 2–3 weeks to set up |
Budget | Medium: SaaS subscription |
Tech | Pipedrive CRM, Slack, Zoom, project management tools |
The right cloud-based tools can make flexible or remote work much more manageable.
Team-specific technology (e.g., sales software) and general collaboration platforms (e.g., messaging and call apps) can help teams stay connected and efficient.
Technology can bridge the gap between physical locations and enable your employees to work productively from anywhere.
For example, Pipedrive is a customer relationship management (CRM) tool that allows sales teams to track leads, build relationships and close deals regardless of location.
The user-friendly dashboards and visual reports keep agile teams aligned and able to follow up on leads quickly, even while working flexibly.
Pipedrive also includes add-ons for broader task management, such as Projects. The project management software helps remote sales teams organize tasks, assign responsibilities and track progress.
Working from one unified platform ensures no important client details or activities slip through the cracks.
Pipedrive in action: Tech recruitment specialist Reintech used Pipedrive to interview and evaluate 1,500 software engineers in one year. With a distributed team across the UK and Ukraine, including one member working only eight hours a week, it managed the workload without overtime. Leveraging Pipedrive’s automations, APIs and integrations, Reintech’s small remote team kept its workflows agile and efficient.
Another popular remote work app is Slack. Remote teams use this communication tool to converse in real time and asynchronously to stay connected without needing constant meetings.
Slack also integrates with Pipedrive to help you organize all company and customer communications in one place.
When choosing your own remote work tech stack, invest in tools that suit your team’s workflows and train everyone to use them effectively. Technology should always enhance productivity rather than hinder it.
3. Design realistic policies
Timeline | 3–4 weeks |
Budget | Low–medium: employee training, legal review |
Tech | HR systems, policy templates |
While offering a wide range of flexible options can be tempting, you must balance requests with what’s feasible for your business.
Setting realistic expectations ensures you won’t offer more than you can manage while providing a more flexible working environment.
Start by offering leeway in areas where it’s easiest. For instance, you may allow employees to choose their start and end times or offer one day a week working from home.
If you want to implement flexible working arrangements but don’t think it’s possible for your business, consider whether a little investment will help.
For example, some companies invest in improved IT infrastructure or virtual employee management training to support their flexible work scheme.
Here results from a study from Moneypenny.
Additionally, it’s crucial to be transparent with your team about what’s possible now and in the future. You don’t have to make any promises.
However, open communication is critical to building trust and ensuring everyone understands the potential limitations.
Create a plan to handle any implications if you decide to offer flexible work for some employees (i.e., based on needs) and not others in the long or short term.
4. Pilot slowly, measure and refine
Timeline | 1–2 months |
Budget | Medium: manager training, IT upgrades |
Tech | Analytics dashboards, feedback tools |
Rather than launching all options at once, introduce flexible work changes gradually.
Doing so lets you track what’s working and adjust as needed. A phased approach reduces risk, giving you time to evaluate its impact on productivity and employee satisfaction.
You could start by offering flexible hours two days a week. After a month, if teams are more productive, increase it to four days.
You can roll your new approach out slowly by:
Starting with a pilot program that tests one or two options
Introducing flexibility to a single department or team first
Offering flexibility on certain days of the week (e.g., Fridays)
Collecting feedback regularly and making data-driven adjustments
Whichever type of flexible work you choose, make employees aware that you’ll set up a trial period with clear goals and review checkpoints to keep everyone aligned.
Gather feedback, assess productivity and adjust policies before fully committing to a long-term approach.
5. Document and communicate clear guidelines
Timeline | 1–2 weeks |
Budget | Low: comms and training materials |
Tech | Intranet, Teams |
Your flexible work policies need structure. Without it, you can inadvertently cause confusion or inconsistencies, risking frustrating your team and reducing productivity.
Clear guidelines ensure everyone understands the new arrangements, including expectations and protocols.
For example, if you still need weekly meetings with a newly remote team, ensure everyone knows they must be online for an hour on Tuesdays at 2 PM.
Your guidelines may include:
Clear expectations for communication and availability
Defined core working hours (if applicable)
Policies around remote working tools or security protocols
Procedures for reporting and resolving any issues virtually
Steps for requesting other flexible working options
Remember: guidelines are there to set certain expectations and boundaries for your team. It shouldn’t interfere with their autonomy the rest of the time.
According to keynote speaker Joe Mull:
Regularly checking in with your team will help you understand their evolving needs and challenges. By aligning your policies with these, you can create a more trusting environment that drives performance.
6. Shift to an outcomes-based culture
Timeline | 3–6 months to embed |
Budget | Medium: coaching, training |
Tech | KPI tracking in CRM/HR tools |
Shifting your focus from the time your team spends at their screens to the results they achieve can significantly improve morale and productivity.
For example, you may reward employees based on projects they complete rather than the time they spend working every day.
Allowing employees to work in ways that suit their personal productivity peaks can make their workdays feel more balanced and manageable.
According to CEO and co-founder Emily Hill:
In addition to showing you trust them, it empowers your team to take ownership of their work. Over time, this can improve job satisfaction and even lower stress.
You can create a results-based approach by:
Setting clear expectations and measurable outcomes
Celebrating small wins on the road to larger goals
Using key performance indicators (KPIs) to track success
Encouraging autonomy for employees to manage their own tasks
Holding periodic performance reviews to adjust goals and strategies as needed
Shifting to a results-based approach allows employees to manage their time more effectively and feel less pressure without sacrificing performance.
7. Promote a healthy work-life balance
Timeline | Ongoing |
Budget | Medium–high: wellness stipends, mental health programs |
Tech | Well-being apps, engagement platforms |
One of the main benefits of flexible working for employees is the healthier work-life balance it can encourage.
You can support this balance through policy and company culture.
For example, implementing flexible hours, promoting regular breaks and encouraging employees to unplug after work can result in less burnout and higher job satisfaction.
Showing employees you value their well-being can increase retention and reduce absenteeism. Healthier employees are also more likely to do better work and have the capacity to collaborate more effectively.
According to professor of organizational psychology and health Sir Cary Cooper:
Here are five ways you can encourage a healthier work-life balance:
Encourage employees to set boundaries between work and personal time (i.e., self-management)
Offer resources like wellness programs or flexible leave options
Promote regular use of vacation days
Provide access to mental health resources (e.g., counseling services or stress management workshops)
Foster a supportive work environment where employees feel comfortable discussing and managing their workload
Regularly assess and adjust these policies based on feedback to maintain a healthy, productive and satisfied workforce.
Final thoughts
While some employers may be skeptical about the effectiveness of flexible working arrangements, evidence shows they can lead to more engaged and productive teams.
Explore different options to find the right fit for your employees and business. Engage with your team to understand their preferences and supply the right tools to foster a healthier, more dynamic work environment.
Try Pipedrive free for 14 days to see how it can help remote sales teams close more deals, wherever your reps are in the world.
