Why Flexibility Must Remain a Cornerstone of Contract and Employee Remote Work

In recent years, remote work has been hailed as the ultimate work-life balance solution. And to some extent, it is. As a digital marketing professional who's been working remotely for over a decade, I can confidently say the flexibility it provides is invaluable. But there's a misconception I feel compelled to unpack, remote doesn't always mean freedom.

With more companies rolling back to hybrid or even fully in-office models, the appeal of remote work is often romanticized. It's not just about working in pajamas or avoiding traffic. For many of us, especially freelancers, contractors, and those of us managing family obligations, remote work is a lifeline. But that lifeline gets tangled when flexibility is stripped away in favor of rigid expectations.

When Remote Stops Feeling Flexible

The problem isn't remote work. The problem is how it's implemented. I've seen companies insist that freelancers adhere to 9-to-5 schedules, attend excessive Zoom calls, and behave more like employees than independent contractors. This isn't just inefficient, it's inappropriate.

Freelancers aren't employees. Imposing a specific daily schedule on someone hired for contract work blurs legal and ethical boundaries. If you're hiring someone for their expertise, the goal should be deliverables and outcomes, not micromanaged time blocks. I've experienced this firsthand, companies asking me to "join daily standups" or "keep Slack open all day." That's not how contract work should function.

Contracts need to be clear about expectations upfront. That means defining deliverables, timelines, communication windows, and response expectations. If you're going to ask someone to behave like an employee, maybe it's time to offer them benefits and a W-2.

Remote Work's Dirty Little Secret, Meeting Overload

Here's the truth most don't want to say out loud: some remote companies are less efficient than traditional offices. I've worked with teams who transitioned to remote during the pandemic without putting real systems in place. The result? Endless meetings that replace simple emails. Slack channels ping nonstop. Project management boards are abandoned for impromptu Zoom calls.

It’s exhausting.

What many companies don’t understand is that remote work requires more than a Zoom license and a Google Workspace login. It demands clarity, trust, and structure. Teams need standard operating procedures, not just spontaneous group chats. I've led remote teams and collaborated with freelancers across multiple time zones. When processes are tight, remote work soars. When they aren't, it crumbles under its own chaos.

Just because a business adapted to remote work during COVID doesn't mean it's prepared to sustain it long-term. And for seasoned professionals like me, who thrive in structured yet flexible environments, the inefficiencies can be maddening.

Flexibility Isn't Just for Contractors. It's a Human Need.

I want to talk about something deeper now, something I rarely bring up in public forums, but is central to why flexibility isn't a perk for me, it's a necessity.

I'm the sole provider for my family. My wife is disabled and unable to work outside the home. My daughter is autistic and requires full-time care, including homeschooling and occupational/emotional therapy. That means my schedule needs to flex around doctor appointments, therapy sessions, insurance calls, and sometimes, just emotional exhaustion.

But I'm not an exception. I know I'm not the only professional out there juggling caregiving responsibilities while still delivering high-quality work. There are parents with neurodivergent children, partners supporting loved ones with chronic illnesses, or individuals managing their own health battles silently behind the screen.

For us, remote work isn't about location freedom. It's about life integration. And that integration only works when we build workplace cultures that value flexibility as a standard, not an exception.

Why Clear Agreements Matter More Than Ever

I've learned through trial and error that contract negotiations are the moment to define your future working relationship. That means being upfront about availability, communication preferences, time zones, and potential caregiving obligations. Not everyone is comfortable laying it all out. But I've found that being transparent prevents misalignment later.

Companies, too, should come to the table with clarity. If you expect freelancers to attend daily calls or be online during specific hours, that needs to be in writing, and you need to be prepared to compensate accordingly. Because if you demand the time, you're buying more than a product. You're buying presence.

Redefining Productivity in a Remote World

In digital marketing, where outcomes matter more than hours, productivity should never be tied to a clock. I’ve delivered campaign strategies that increased reach by 200%, launched paid ads with 775% higher click-throughs, and built social calendars for over 20 clients at once. And guess what? I didn’t do it by sitting at a desk from 9 to 5. I did it through focused, creative, asynchronous work blocks tailored to my schedule and life demands.

If anything, the future of work should be less about tracking time and more about measuring impact. Flexible environments foster that kind of innovation. Rigid ones snuff it out.

Remote Work 2.0, We Can Still Get This Right

The return-to-office movement has shown us that many companies are still uncomfortable trusting employees and freelancers without physical oversight. But trust is the currency of modern work. The more you micromanage, the less you'll retain top talent, especially those who require flexibility not as a luxury but as a condition of being able to participate at all.

Remote work isn't failing. Mismanaged remote work is.

As someone who has thrived in freelance and contract roles while navigating immense personal responsibilities, I believe companies can do better. But it starts by seeing flexibility not as a threat to productivity, but as its greatest ally.

If you're hiring creatives, strategists, consultants, or digital marketers like me, remember, you're not just hiring a skill set. You're collaborating with a whole person. And if you give us room to breathe, we'll show you what true performance really looks like.