A recent survey found the majority of Boston area chief financial officers foresee few accounting and finance staffing changes in the fourth quarter.

Eighty six percent of Boston area CFOs anticipate no change in hiring, according to a survey from Robert Half International, a staffing services firm specializing in accounting and finance.

Seven percent anticipate reductions in personnel, while 2 percent of respondents expect to add accounting and finance staff during the fourth quarter, according to the study.

"Organizations appear to be exercising caution before adding full-time staff until there are signs of a sustained recovery," said Max Messmer, chairman and CEO of Robert Half International. "At the same time, companies recognize that carefully chosen accounting and finance professionals are critical to their efforts to manage what remains of the recession and also to take advantage of growth opportunities once conditions improve."

The local results reflect a two-quarter rolling average based on interviews with 200 CFOs from a random sample of companies in the Boston area with 20 or more employees.

The studies were conducted by an independent research firm and developed by Robert Half International.