The proliferation of wireless technology has made it easier for employees across countless specialties to work from home or other remote locations. Workers who are able to take advantage of these opportunities fairly consistently report greater efficiency without in-office distractions, a better work-life balance and even more satisfaction from their jobs. Yet, <A HREF="http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1895,2163081,00.asp?kc=EWKNLEDP072707C">telecommuting uptake rates have long been held back by employers</A> concerns over lost productivity, security risks and a discomfort over not being able to keep immediate tabs on their workforce.

Yet among IT professionals, telecommuting is more commonplace than ever. Nearly half (44 percent) of CIOs reported that their companies' IT workforce telecommutes at a rate that is the same or higher than it was five years ago, according to a study released by Robert Half Technology, an IT staffing firm in Menlo Park, Calif. Only three percent of the 1,400 responding CIOs said that their IT staff work remotely less frequently today than five years ago.