VIBE Awards 2022: Best Companies for Work Flexibility

A woman on a balcony working on a laptop — Olezzo/Getty Images

While remote-first companies and hybrid work existed before March 2020, it’s no surprise that interest in these more alternative approaches to work have skyrocketed in recent years. In fact, according to a new McKinsey survey that included 25,000 Americans, 87% of people given the option to work remotely take it (and 58% say they are given the option). And in a different McKinsey study, work flexibility was the number one reason people accepted a new job.

The companies below take varied approaches to work flexibility: some are fully remote, while others put their trust in employees to get their work done without sticking to a traditional 9-to-5. (One even lets people choose their own holiday to celebrate, such as Earth Day.)

Work flexibility is just one of the seven perk and benefits categories we highlight in the 2022 VIBE Awards. “VIBE” stands for “voted in by employees.” As the name suggests, our methodology combined our own data as well as votes from employees, who ranked the strength of their company’s perks and benefits. Each category includes winners and honorable mentions for small (up to 250 employees), medium (251 to 5,000), and large (more than 5,000) companies.

Intradiem, a small company winner, is a remote-first company—and at least one employee says this has impacted their personal life enormously: “I have full autonomy to work when and where I need to without feeling micromanaged. I never have to worry about last-minute appointments or emergencies because I know I have the time and space to take care of myself and my family.”

Among the medium-sized company winners, Panorama Education stands out for supporting a distributed workforce. “I can work remotely 100% in a different time zone than the majority of the company!” says an employee. “They accommodate the time difference in meetings and ensure my inclusion. This allows me to live in a city I love while working for a company I appreciate.”

Palo Alto Networks ranked high within the large companies thanks to its FLEXWORK policy, which lets employees work from anywhere. “I have a team member who chose to do a roadtrip in Canada following his favorite band, Pearl Jam, across the country. He worked a full productive day and then went to the concerts at night,” shares an employee.

Read on for the full list of winners in the work flexibility category.

Small Companies

Cureatr

Who they are: This healthtech company helps healthcare organizations and patients manage their medications so they’re taken effectively and safely.

What employees are saying: “I am a mom first. This job allows me to work creatively and work hard, but any time my family needs me, there is never a question what the priority is. Cureatr is the only company I’ve worked for that lives and breathes this mentality.”

Intradiem

Who they are: Intradiem develops AI-powered technology that allows back-end offices and contact centers handling customer service issues to work more efficiently.

What employees are saying: “The freedom to work where we want while also being given the tools has made my work-life flexibility amazing. Perks like stipends for internet bills and technical resource support for my home office have helped me be more productive in my role.”

Stride

Who they are: This healthtech startup helps part-time and gig workers get access to affordable healthcare.

What employees are saying: “I started at Stride right after a layoff from a previous company, right after the sudden loss of a family member, and right before I was supposed to get married. I was worried I wouldn't be able to grieve properly or have my wedding, but I was so pleasantly surprised! I was able to take the time I needed for both, and I couldn't be happier with my team and this company.”

Honorable Mention: InterVenn Biosciences

Honorable Mention: Simon Data

Honorable Mention: Swiftly

Medium Companies

Panorama Education

Who they are: This edtech company builds tools that schools can use to improve the quality of education that their students receive.

What employees are saying: “Having flexible hours and unlimited PTO helped me to care for my late mother and my child who has medical issues. I never feel guilty about taking the time I need to make sure my family is OK. I also love that the company trusts me to do my work.”

Paper

Who they are: This edtech company partners with schools to provide students with unlimited, 24/7 access to trained tutors.

What employees are saying: “I was able to take all the time I needed when my dad died because of our company’s unlimited sick day and bereavement benefits. That meant I could be there during his ICU stay and plan his funeral without worrying about what would happen with my job. My team and bosses were so loving and supportive. These things made the hardest time of my life more bearable.”

Stack Overflow

Who they are: This online platform provides a community for programmers, where they can learn, share knowledge, and network with each other.

What employees are saying: “They focus on output, not input. So I don’t need to tell my manager if I have a doctor’s appointment, or if I’m taking my car to get serviced, or if I need to pick the baby up from nursery early. We’re completely trusted to do our jobs in the way we need to.”

Honorable Mention: Dolby

Honorable Mention: Kinaxis

Large Companies

Autodesk

Who they are: This design software company provides CAD and 3D modeling programs to businesses in a variety of industries.

What employees are saying: “The company has given us the option to choose whichever combination of remote, hybrid, or full-time office work suits us best. It has allowed people to move to lower-cost areas where they can afford to buy a house, for example, or be closer to family. It has made a huge difference and is one of many reasons I want to keep working at Autodesk.”

Palo Alto Networks

Who they are: This cybersecurity company provides cutting-edge defense against cyber attacks.

What employees are saying: “As a military spouse, knowing that I have a secure career that can move with me wherever the Army sends us—and that I can grow in my career—is incredibly rare. I feel so genuinely supported at all levels of the company.”

Uber

Who they are: This tech company has moved beyond ride sharing to offer food and package delivery, courier services, and freight transportation.

What employees are saying: “Uber allows us to work from anywhere in the world for four weeks per year. Last May, I took advantage of this perk and worked from an island in Portugal. Being able to switch up my location and enjoy a new culture was incredibly refreshing. Uber’s flexibility allowed me to have a longer stay in Europe while balancing PTO and work and it’s a benefit I will absolutely continue using!”