BY KAREN SINGLETARY
Editor’s note: At MeaningSphere, we believe that meaning at work matters and that it’s deeply personal. This series highlights diverse perspectives across the 10 core fulfillment areas from our Worklife Fulfillment Indicator. Each piece reflects the author’s own experience, with the goal of sparking reflection and dialogue.
Doctor’s appointments, dentist visits, recitals, gym sessions, and sports events: So many personal obligations, so little time. I am honestly not sure how I managed any of them when I was in the office five days a week with minimal PTO. Working from home changed that for me. Having flexibility over when, how, and where I work has given me a sense of freedom and fulfillment I had never experienced before.
What the research says about flexibility
Research backs this up. A University of California, Berkeley report found that flexible schedules improve job satisfaction, health, and worklife balance while also benefiting employers through higher productivity, lower turnover, and reduced absenteeism. And yet, companies are still falling short. A Harvard Business Review study found that 96% of employees say they need flexibility, but only 47% report having access to what they actually need, a gap of nearly 50 points. That gap is even wider for women, with only 34% having the flexibility they need.
Being visible is not the same as being productive
Much of the resistance to flexibility seems rooted in a belief that physical presence equals productivity. The wave of return-to-office mandates in recent years reflects this assumption that if employees are not visible, they are not working. But that thinking conflates activity with output. Flexibility does not mean working less or without structure; it means having agency over how you meet your responsibilities. An employee who blocks 8 to 10 a.m. for a school drop-off and then works until 6 p.m. is no less productive; they are just working on their own terms.
Flexibility is not a perk, it’s a sign of trust
This is where it gets personal in a bigger way. Flexibility is not just a scheduling perk; it signals trust. When you have autonomy over your work, it communicates something: “We believe you can manage yourself.” That message shapes how you see yourself at work. Feeling trusted tends to make people want to live up to that trust. In fact, studies have consistently shown that employees who feel a sense of autonomy report higher engagement and a stronger connection to their work. Flexibility, in other words, does not just make you more productive. It can change your relationship to work altogether.
Same demands, different story
I still have the same doctor’s appointments, gym sessions, and family commitments as I always did. The difference is that I no longer dread them or ration my PTO to accommodate them. Having control over how I work has given me space to design a rhythm that supports not just my productivity, but my life. That is not a small thing, and it should not be treated as a luxury. We all need flexibility in our work—even though it looks different for everyone.
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Karen Singletary leads the finance team at MeaningSphere.
