With an economy based on knowledge workers, estimates suggest that a full 50% of professionals in the United States have jobs that can be performed from home. In fact, according to the most recent Census findings, the number of people who work out of their houses increased from 9.5 million in 1999 to 13.4 million in 2010, indicating that many more companies are now offering remote jobs. To determine which companies are likely hiring telecommuters in 2014, FlexJobs, the leading site for job searchers seeking ideal work-life balance, has named the top 100 companies that allow or encourage employees to work from home. "From our 2013 data, we were able to determine which companies had the most telecommuting jobs posted throughout the past year," says Sara Sutton Fell, CEO of FlexJobs. "Based on this analysis, it's clear which employers embrace the option to work remotely, and it's a great list of companies for job seekers who want to keep an eye on flexible options in 2014." Out of more than 25,000 pre-screened and vetted companies with flexible work schedules, FlexJobs determined the top 100 companies with the most work-from-home opportunities over the course of the past year. From that list, here are the top seven to watch in 2014.

Telecommute-Friendly Companies

1. Xerox: Known as "world-leader in document technology," Xerox employs over 140,000 people and was the frontrunner for the highest number of work-from-home opportunities throughout 2013. With several jobs already posted in 2014 — titles including functional analyst and client managing director — this document-solutions, research-and-development leader is the number one company to watch. 2. UnitedHealth Group: It's a little-known fact that a nurse can actually have a full-time job helping patients — over the phone. That is, of course, unless you are a nurse or one of the many people who have received quality care this way. Through its network of businesses, UnitedHealth Group is "committed to making the healthcare system better, improving the health of people and supporting community efforts to do the same." Coming in second for the highest number of flex positions in 2013, this pioneer of innovative programs is already hiring 208 flexible jobs in the new year. 3. Dell: Coming in third, Dell, the number-one provider of computer systems for several consumer groups, is off to a successful start in 2014. Common remote jobs for Dell include IT positions, but the company also offers jobs such as business development managers and financial consultants. 4. Aetna: One of the nation's leading diversified healthcare and benefits companies, Aetna experienced a year of rapid growth, as evidenced by increased hiring efforts. The company came in fourth place for the highest number of remote jobs; keep an eye out for several more emerging employment opportunities ranging from pharmacy director (yes, you can do this job full-time from home) to network manager. 5. American Express: The credit card behemoth boasts a staff of about 63,500 and brought in nearly $32 billion yearly earnings in 2013. Having hired the fifth most telecommuting jobs throughout 2013, the company — which has been around since 1850 — is clearly embracing the times; in fact, work-from-home positions are already being listed for 2014. A few of these titles include meeting managers, travel consultants, senior relationship managers and more. 6. First Data: Empowering the global economy by making online purchases secure, this Canadian firm continues to expand its remote offerings with positions that range from account executives to government business consultants. 7. Humana: Already hiring for registered nurses, research scientists, medical directors and more, Humana currently has 26,000 employees and revenues exceeding $33 billion. Rounding out the full Top 100 list are companies from a variety of industries including healthcare, information technology, education, nonprofit and philanthropy, and sales and marketing, including Apple, ADP, Kaplan, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Novartis, Lockheed Martin and the American Heart Association. As more companies start offering remote jobs, professionals from most career fields can aspire to become a part of the work-from-home community.

Mashable Job Board Listings

The Mashable Job Board connects job seekers across the U.S. with unique career opportunities in the digital space. While we publish a wide range of job listings, we have selected a few job opportunities from the past two weeks to help get you started. Happy hunting!

Chelsea Gladden Chelsea Gladden is the director of PR and media for FlexJobs and the cofounder of BreezyMama.com and ForKidsEntertainment.com...More

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