According to leaders from Embroker, Collectly and Arm, investing in employee wellbeing isn’t just the right thing to do. It also makes good business sense.
Just ask Nicole Martin, a senior people manager at digital insurance brokerage Embroker, who described her employer’s flexible and remote-first work environment.
“This flexibility is not just a perk; it's fundamental to our success,” Martin said. “When employees have the autonomy to manage their personal and professional lives, they are more engaged, productive and committed to Embroker's mission.”
Like Embroker, other San Francisco-area employers Collectly and Arm have found tried and true methods to protect employee wellbeing through practices like flexible schedules, autonomous and trusted work environments and, most importantly, support and recognition from leadership for jobs well done.. Built In heard from all three companies about their tried and true tactics that support employee wellbeing.
Embroker cuts through insurance complexity with custom quotes and hassle-free coverage tailored to your industry.
What’s your quotable principle for keeping a sustainable work pace — and what signal shows it works?
Increasingly, I've been saying "park it" to myself. When I start my workday, I open my "parking lot," which is a running list of everything that needs to be done across all HR functions: benefits, personnel files, performance management, etc. It's my way of keeping everything in one place, taking inventory of what needs prioritization and knowing how to time block my calendar so nothing gets dropped. Honestly, it's a lifesaver for my busy brain that wants to keep track of everything all the time. The parking lot gives me a virtual storage site to place requests, deadlines and ideas that pop up so I can come back to them later.
Which policy or norm makes flexible work succeed — and how do you measure impact?
Hire good people and trust them to get the job done. Since 2020, Embroker has been a remote-first employer offering a flexible work environment. We understand that "life happens," whether it's picking up a sick child or moving up a critical doctor's appointment. Our flexible approach consistently stands out in engagement surveys as a key driver of employee satisfaction. It fosters a culture of trust; our colleagues are supportive anchors who can be relied upon and in turn, no one feels abandoned when they need to step away. This flexibility is not just a perk; it's fundamental to our success. When employees have the autonomy to manage their personal and professional lives, they are more engaged, productive and committed to Embroker's mission. We've seen a direct correlation between work-life balance and retention, proving that investing in our people's well-being is a sound business strategy. Trust leads to flexibility, which leads to higher satisfaction and performance, ultimately strengthening the entire organization.
What does flexible work look like at Embroker?
“Our flexible approach consistently stands out in engagement surveys as a key driver of employee satisfaction. It fosters a culture of trust; our colleagues are supportive anchors who can be relied upon and in turn, no one feels abandoned when they need to step away.”
— Nicole Martin, Senior People Manager
Which wellbeing-related resource do people actually use — and what improvement have you seen on your team?
Our company culture is built on recognizing and celebrating exceptional team efforts. We use Bonusly to support our employee recognition program and to embody our value of “creating magic” from day one. Every team member receives a monthly point allowance for peer-to-peer recognition. Points are given to recognize work that goes above and beyond, celebrating milestones (like anniversaries and birthdays), applauding achievements that have a major impact on the business and reinforcing our values. Points can be redeemed for company swag, gift cards, or even to make a charitable donation. And the impact of this recognition system is undeniable. We consistently see the Bonusly program highlighted as a favorite feature and a culture anchor in our 30-day new hire check-ins. It not only boosts morale but also creates a really important continuous feedback loop of appreciation. This program is more than just a tool; it is a reminder of the company’s commitment to creating an environment where every contribution is seen, valued and celebrated.
Collectly is a fast-growing healthcare tech startup that built an AI-driven RCM software platform that increases revenue, cuts support calls and keeps patients happy.
What’s your quotable principle for keeping a sustainable work pace — and what signal shows it works?
A sustainable pace means building something that scales without burning people out. If you're trading consistency for urgency too often, you're doing it wrong. We protect that pace by removing friction before it becomes stress through a blend of team expertise and best-in-class technology. For instance, our sellers are equipped by revenue operations with a best-in-class tech stack for every stage of the process, from list-building to sequencing to cold calling. Our dedicated enablement team provides dedicated onboarding and L&D. Marketing provides top-tier content, numerous event opportunities and a steady stream of inbounds. When your people are well-equipped and well-supported, urgency becomes a choice — not a default. The proof is in the pace. Goals get hit without last-minute fire drills. People take PTO without anything breaking. Outcomes improve quarter over quarter while stress levels don't. Startups move fast — but sustainable teams move intentionally. Wins come from systems, clarity and alignment. Not burnout.
What is the pace of work like at Collectly?
“When your people are well-equipped and well-supported, urgency becomes a choice — not a default. The proof is in the pace. Goals get hit without last-minute fire drills. People take PTO without anything breaking. Outcomes improve quarter over quarter while stress levels don't. Startups move fast — but sustainable teams move intentionally.”
— Alex Tomassetti, Senior Sales Recruiter of Talent Acquisition Lead
Which policy or norm makes flexible work succeed — and how do you measure impact?
Flexibility works when there’s structure underneath it and trust to reinforce it. For us, unlimited PTO isn’t about disappearing; it’s about planning and having each others’ backs. Unlimited PTO only works when performance is measured by outcomes, not hours. We hire responsible adults, set clear goals and trust people to manage their time responsibly. Because expectations are clear, everyone knows what they own and how success is measured. People actually take time off and our performance doesn’t dip when they do. Unlimited PTO isn’t a perk; it’s a trust contract. We expect high performance and in return, we give people autonomy. Ownership replaces micromanagement.
Which wellbeing-related resource do people actually use — and what improvement have you seen on your team?
By covering 100 percent of medical, dental and vision premiums for employees and their dependents, we’ve seen stronger retention, higher engagement and increased offer acceptance rates. When people aren’t worried about healthcare costs for their families, they can focus on doing exceptional work and that stability compounds across the organization. It’s become a meaningful differentiator for us. Employees consistently call it out as one of the most impactful benefits we offer, especially those with families. This improvement is demonstrated through stronger cultural alignment and the pride in what we’re building here.
Arm is a semiconductor company that develops graphics, central and neural processing units and has shipped more than 180 billion chips by the company’s partners.
What’s your quotable principle for keeping a sustainable work pace — and what signal shows it works?
To maintain a sustainable work pace I look to delivering high-quality work without depleting energy for my home and family life. There are times when that balance shifts. Engineers thrive on optimizing systems whilst sometimes forgetting they too are a system that needs to work sustainably. Sprints are short for a reason so without correction to the balance the risk is building technical debt in your home life.
How do Arm managers protect employee wellbeing and create a sustainable work place?
“To maintain a sustainable work pace I look to delivering high-quality work without depleting energy for my home and family life. There are times when that balance shifts. Engineers thrive on optimising systems whilst sometimes forgetting they too are a system that needs to work sustainably.”
— Louisa Wilson, Senior Principal Engineer
I measure if it’s effective if I am not resenting either work or home sides of my life. For example, not dreading Monday morning being able to go on leave without the work collapsing. Sustainability isn’t about doing less, it's about finding a rhythm that you can repeat for years.
Which policy or norm makes flexible work succeed — and how do you measure impact?
Rewarding quality output over presenteeism. Quality output also covers team cohesion and a team that can be flexible and empathetic to life events is a stronger team.
Which wellbeing-related resource do people actually use — and what improvement have you seen on your team?
There are a variety of resources people have access to, and from personal experience, the health-related resources are helpful. Even simple things like prompting regular health screening supports us to enjoy a better quality of life. Access to a gym in the workplace is also a great resource that people can use and helps break up the sedentary desk work with some physical challenges.
