Almost half of global businesses surveyed say they already offer some degree of remote working, while three-fifths provide flextime opportunities. (Photo: Shutterstock)

Working remotely is increasing in numbers and popularity. A new study from Condeco Software, The Modern Workplace 2019: People, places & technology, shows that the U.S. and Australia are essentially tied (45 percent and 43 percent respectively) for having the second-most companies allowing remote work.

“The research clearly shows that businesses are in the process of transforming their workplaces digitally, which enables them to transform the way that they are used physically,” said Paul Statham, CEO of Condeco. “Today's technology allows for space to be used more flexibly and for employees to work remotely. This benefits businesses by maximizing office space, reducing costs and by keeping employees engaged and productive.”

Related: 5 tips for managing remote work arrangements, from an expert

However, U.S. businesses were least likely to offer flextime (49 percent), while those in Singapore were most likely (66 percent).

Almost half of global businesses surveyed (41 percent) say they already offer some degree of remote working, while three-fifths (60 percent) provide flextime opportunities, allowing employees to choose when to start and end their workday.

The most common concern for U.S. respondents is technology adoption (45 percent) and talent supply (30 percent), suggesting that businesses are expecting these to be major issues over the next year. Only 11 percent of U.S. business cited access to capital as their top organizational concern.

Condeco's report was based upon surveys with 750 business leaders in six countries: the UK, the USA, France, Germany, Australia and Singapore. Sixty-five of these interviews were with CTOs, while 223 were with C-suite executives and 209 were with “workspace managers” (a combination of facilities, real estate, office and front of house management). The remaining 253 interviews were with senior executives.

Read more: 

• Blurring of work/life boundaries causes stress in remote workers
• Cutting flex work harms companies' productivity, collaboration
• 5 fastest-growing cities for flex workspace