Work remotely? Here's why you should think about your email signature.

For employees, the spread of flexible work schedules since the pandemic has put a premium on getting their digital email signatures right. After all, with millions of Americans now working remotely, it's becoming ever more important to let colleagues and clients know when they're on and off the clock, including when not to expect a reply right away.

Take Jesse Kent, president of Derring-Do, a small public relations firm in New York. Ever since the pandemic, he has included the following line of text below his name in his email signature: "My work day may look different than your work day. Please do not feel obligated to respond out of your normal hours." 

Kent has long worked unconventional hours, a necessity given the need to be available to his clients around the world. And post-COVID he's also seen a shift in how they operate. "I've noticed my clients are also riding the flexible work wave, fitting in their replies whenever they can, even if that means pausing for family moments and circling back to work later in the evening," he told CBS MoneyWatch.