Although some companies, such as Yahoo, have sought to curtail telecommuting in recent years, a growing number of creative professionals are working outside the office, according to a recent report from The Creative Group.

The analysis was based on data from 400 telephone interviews—approximately 200 with marketing executives randomly selected from companies with 100 or more employees, and 200 with advertising executives randomly selected from agencies with 20 or more employees.

One-third of survey respondents said the percentage of creative staff working remotely today is higher than three years ago, 59% said it's the same, and only 4% said it's lower.

Asked what the primary benefits of allowing remote work options are, executives responded as follows: 

• 22%: Allows access to talent outside of your geography resulting in a broader talent pool
• 19%: Improves retention and morale by providing enhanced work/life balance
• 15%: Increases productivity by reducing commute time
• 9%: Saves money by requiring less office space
• 7%: Allows access to talent where the cost of living and salaries are lower.

About the research: The report was based on data from 400 telephone interviews with marketing and agency executives.