The number of work-from-home and other remote working opportunities increased over the last three years, according to a survey released by Accountemps, a division of Robert Half International Inc. (NYSE: RHI). More than one-third of CFOs, 36%,  said the number of work-from-home and other remote working opportunities has increased, while only 3% reported a decline in the last three years.

Larger companies outpace smaller firms in telecommuting; 68% of CFOs at companies with more than 1,000 employees see remote work opportunities on the rise compared to 34% of CFOs at companies with 20 to 49 employees.

“Employee preferences for ‘anytime, anywhere’ work arrangements are hard to ignore,” said Bill Driscoll, a district president of Accountemps. “Although telecommuting isn’t suitable for every role, it can be a powerful incentive for employees who want greater flexibility. It offers other advantages to businesses, such as greater productivity, cost savings on office space, the ability to tap into talent in different geographical areas and time zones, and more around-the-clock client service.”

CFOs were asked, “Have remote work opportunities (for example, telecommuting or working from a satellite office) within your company increased, decreased or remained the same in the last three years?”

Their responses:

• Increased greatly: 12%
• Increased somewhat: 24%
• No change: 49%
• Decreased somewhat: 2%
• Decreased greatly: 1%
• Doesn’t apply/no remote work: 13%

CFOs whose companies provide remote work opportunities were asked, “Which one of the following would you say is the single greatest benefit of offering remote working options to your employees?”

Their responses:

• Improves retention and morale by promoting work-life balance: 35%
• Increases productivity by reducing commute time: 28%
• Saves money by requiring less office space: 15%
• Provides access to a broader talent pool: 10%
• Don’t know: 11%

The survey was developed by Accountemps and conducted by an independent research firm. It included interviews with more than 2,100 CFOs from companies in more than 20 of the largest US metropolitan areas.