Earlier this year, I interviewed several business leaders who predicted the death of return-to-work (RTO) policies and that hybrid careers would win the RTO war. More recently, I spoke to a larger group of leaders who made similar stunning predictions about the death of RTO policies in 2025. The war isn’t over, but at this writing, mandates have tightened (not relaxed) across major companies like Amazon, AT&T and Boeing. And employees are losing their flexibility and work-life balance. As more businesses mandate employees back to the office, research uncovers the flexible careers that allow remote work in 2025 when it comes to where and when their employees work.
Top Ten 2025 Flexible Careers For Remote Work
Despite new 2025 research from International Workplace Group (IWG) that reveals a major link between hybrid work and improved employee health–fewer sick days, lower stress levels and better access to preventative care–many businesses are implementing strict RTO policies. If you’re a job seeker looking for a remote job with flexibility, it could be a long wait. To the rescue, a study from TollFreeForwarding.com reveals industries that offer the most flexibility allowing you to work outside the office.
The researchers at TollFreeForwarding.com computed scores for each industry by looking at three different criteria: the percentage of workers in each sector who had access to paid holidays, flexible workplaces and flexible schedules.
Scores between one and 100 were awarded to each industry based on where they ranked for each criterion. The three scores were then added together and divided by three to get a final score out of 100. Here the ten top flexible careers along with their scores in ranked order:
1. Finance & Insurance (94)
2. Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (92)
3. Information (80)
4. Wholesale Trade (78)
5. Professional & Business Services (71)
6. Manufacturing (70)
7. Utilities (69)
8. Real Estate, Rental & Leasing (63)
9. Healthcare (55)
10. Goods Producing (53)
The Top Three Flexible Careers in 2025
1. The field of Finance & Insurance ranks as the most flexible careers, mainly due to digital operations and secure remote access. The field offers 98% of employees access to paid vacation time, 33% access to flexible workspace and 40% access to flexible work schedules. According to the researchers, Finance & Insurance is the most well suited to flexible work because of its heavy reliance on digital data, secure online transactions and regulatory-compliant remote access to financial and customer information.
2. The field of Professional, Scientific & Technical Services is the second most flexible industry, with nearly half of workers enjoying flexible schedules. The field offers 92% of workers paid vacation, 42% flexible workspace and 47% flexible work schedules. This industry–including legal, accounting, computer systems design and scientific consulting services–is suited for remote and hybrid work because it largely involves knowledge-based tasks, digital collaboration and specialized expertise that can be delivered effectively through virtual tools and secure online platforms.
3. The information industry ranks third in flexibility, offering 92% of workers paid vacation, 19% flexible workspace and 33% flexible work schedules, earning it a spot as one of the most flexible industries for employees. The information industry consists of those who work in publishing, broadcasting and telecom. It is well suited for remote and hybrid work because many of the duties revolve around digital content, data-management and technology-driven services that can be accessed, processed and distributed from anywhere with a secure internet connection.
Although not shown here, Elementary & Secondary Schools was the least flexible of all, making remote work nearly impossible. A third (32%) of workers say they would quit their job if they were not allowed to continue working remotely. According to the researchers, these claims will likely be put to the test as industry-leaders such as Amazon, AT&T, Boeing and Dell implement strict return-to-office policies.
David Campbell at Brand Rebellion asserts that flexibility should be more than just a buzzword. He believes it should be a guiding principle in designing workplace and workforce models that truly cater to the diverse needs and aspirations of employees. “It’s about molding opportunities that fit not just where people work, but how and when they work, to drive engagement, satisfaction and ultimately, productivity and innovation.”
A Final Wrap On Flexible Careers
Commenting on the findings of this research, Jason O’Brien, COO of TollFreeForwarding.com, insists there’s no denying that flexible work policies have their benefits. “Flexible work gives us the freedom to balance productivity and well-being, allowing us to work where we thrive best,” he points out. “However, there is undeniable value in coming together in person, where spontaneous collaboration and deeper connections happen naturally. The key is finding the right balance—leveraging flexibility while embracing the moments that make in-person interaction meaningful.”
Gen Z has been the poster generation advocating for healthy work-life balance and flexible careers. Now, we know the top fields that allow employees to continue to work remotely if they’re looking to stay out of the office. Campbell concludes that, “Flexibility is no longer a perk; it’s a requirement for many workers, especially in a market where white-collar workforce shortages give employees more leverage in shaping their working conditions.”
Forbes
