(MENAFN - Jordan Times) Businesses in Jordan and the Middle East believe that allowing their employees to use their own devices such as smartphones or tablets at work improves their productivity, according to a report by Cisco Systems.

"The top two perceived benefits of allowing employees to use their personal devices (including laptops, tablets, smartphones) for work-related activities were improved employee productivity (more opportunities to collaborate) and greater job satisfaction," said the report, titled "The Cisco IBSG Horizons Study of IT and Business Leaders".

"Employees are turning to use their own devices at work because they want more control of their work experience," the report by Cisco, a worldwide leader in networking, indicated.

According to the report, which was e-mailed to The Jordan Times, more than 76 per cent of IT leaders in Jordan and the Middle East labelled allowing employees to use their own devices for work as "somewhat or extremely positive" for their companies.

"As the number of devices being brought into work increases, organisations need a comprehensive mobility strategy" organisations can now provide their employees with the benefits of working anywhere, anytime," Ahmed Etman, borderless networks sales lead at Cisco Emerging Markets said in a statement e-mailed to The Jordan Times on Monday.

Commenting on the report, Mohammad Khawaja, CEO of Startappz, said allowing employees to use their own devices enhances their performance.

"When employees feel their work is flexible and that they can work from wherever they are, even after office hours, they can contribute more to their work and be more loyal," Khawaja noted.

But this practice also entails some risks, he warned.

"Hackers can breach systems of companies through a worker's device in some cases, especially if it is not well protected," he said.

"By being connected to work all the time, employees might lose some of their privacy as they may have to do some work while at home with their families," Khawaja added.

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Jordan- Using personal devices at work increases productivity