If a tree falls in a forest, does it make a sound? If work is done away from the office, does it still count?

The answer to both, of course, is yes — and corporate America is taking notice.

By 2016, Forrester expects 43% of Americans will work remotely. That’s 63 million people who can work literally anywhere.

Like it or not, the face of the workplace is changing. Are your work-from-home policies keeping pace?

Despite some managers' misgivings, research indicates that remote workers are often more productive than those who are stuck in an office. In fact, a 2009 Cisco study found that 69% of employees cited higher productivity when working remotely.

While not for everyone, including remote work in your team-building strategy can attract new candidates, expand your geographical options, and keep your current team happier. With the right online tools and management strategies in place, remote work policies can even increase your team's productivity and save your company money.

How can remote work do all this? Our friends over at TechnologyAdvice Research put together this infographic on why flexible work options and telecommuting are becoming more and more prevalent.