Work From Home Equipment Budget | fleex

Introducing Fleex: Simplifying Remote Work Equipment for Employees

Fleex, formerly known as Flexlab, is a French startup focused on streamlining the process of providing employees with funds for home office essentials.

The company aims to facilitate the acquisition of items like desks, monitors, and ergonomic chairs, effectively enhancing the remote work experience.

The Challenge of Remote Work Stipends

Large organizations offering work-from-home stipends often face logistical hurdles when employees request equipment such as monitors or office chairs.

Smaller companies may lack standardized procedures for managing these requests, leading to inconsistencies.

Consequently, IT and facilities teams are often burdened with managing a dispersed inventory of devices and furniture across numerous employee homes.

How Fleex Provides a Solution

Fleex offers a platform that allows companies to allocate a designated monthly budget to each employee for work-related purchases.

Employees can then utilize this budget to select from a curated catalog of products and services.

The startup collaborates directly with suppliers to assemble this product catalog, currently specializing in IT supplies and furniture.

Full Lifecycle Management

Fleex handles the entire procurement process, purchasing the selected items and shipping them directly to the employee’s home.

Furthermore, the company manages the product lifecycle, including the return of equipment when an employee departs the organization.

A Unique Business Model

Unlike typical software startups, Fleex requires capital investment to purchase physical goods like desks, chairs, and screens.

A key challenge will be determining whether employees utilize their budgets effectively and avoiding unspent funds remaining in Fleex accounts.

The longevity and durability of the purchased products are also crucial factors in establishing sustainable unit economics.

Early Adoption and Funding

Fleex is currently piloting its offering with several companies, including Swile, Back Market, and Shine.

These companies are allocating an average monthly budget of €55 per employee.

The startup has secured $2 million (€1.7 million) in seed funding and is backed by eFounders, a European startup studio specializing in software-as-a-service companies.