The way we build teams doesn't revolve around local talent anymore, or even a standard 40-hour workweek. At the same time, employee-review sites show a steep rise in burnout, reminding founders that flexibility without guardrails quickly turns toxic. Technology and values are driving a global, fractional shiftAfter the pandemic, remote work hardened from a stopgap to a strategic default. The business case for fractional work is mainly driven by a significant shift in the labor market. When remote flexibility devolves into a culture of always-on chat, constant meeting and the expectation of instant replies, it creates a recipe for employee burnout.