The alarm sounds in the morning and the first thing you do after you make coffee is…log onto your work email. Most bosses know their employees often clock in work time before office hours—because they probably do it, too. One benefit of this: If you stroll in to work on the late side, your boss is likely not to care.

In fact, 73 percent of managers are fine with employees arriving late for work since they’re certain their staffers have been working remotely before they actually get into the office, according to a new survey by Mozy, a company that provides online backup service. And they have reason to believe work is getting done. The survey reveals that by 7 a.m., one in five employees worldwide has already checked email, and the average employee has clocked in 46 minutes of work time before arriving at the office.

The work apparently isn't going unnoticed, as the survey also shows that U.S. employers are understanding of employees’ lateness up to 37 minutes. "Workers everywhere are making the most of the technology available to them to build more flexibility for work and family," Russ Stockdale, general manager of Mozy, explained about the survey results.

"This is good news for working moms, since it shows employers are increasingly open to allowing employees to work where and when it’s most convenient for them,” says Gytis Barzdukas, Mozy’s senior director of product management. This change in attitude alters the scope of the 9 to 5 workday, a schedule that’s becoming more and more obsolete in today’s fast-paced environment. Adds Barzdukas, “This can make all the difference for women who are juggling family responsibilities with work and team obligations."

We'd like to know: Do you work from home in the morning before going into the office? How is this kind of flex schedule working for you?