What happens at Small Airports?

I'm so curious with this. Recently I went to a small airport, 5 hours prior to departure - flight was the only reason I was in that city.

Anyway, the security told me to go in & wait for employees to come.. I asked what happened? (Any bomb threat?😛) instead they said.. there's no flight for atleast next 4 hours, so everyone went😶 Wow. No flight. No work. No compulsive wfo.

Is this normal? How things work at small airports? Do they get paid similar or almost same as that of big one? What about working hours? Isn't this amazing?