95% of Jordanian IT companies ‘satisfied’ with gov’t health measures, 55% ‘dissatisfied’ with economic steps

AMMAN — Ninety-five per cent of the Kingdom's IT companies are satisfied with the government's health-related measures aimed at curbing the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), while 55 per cent are dissatisfied with economic measures, a recent poll has shown. 

The poll was conducted by the ICT Association of Jordan (Int@j) on the sustainability of companies’ investments amid the coronavirus crisis. It revealed that 46 per cent of the companies surveyed have been unable to collect their dues from projects related to government bodies, while 49 per cent have collected only part of their dues and 5 per cent have collected the full amounts.

According to an Int@j statement issued on Saturday, the survey showed that 46 per cent of IT companies in Jordan will stop hiring during the upcoming period, while 62 per cent showed willingness to hire employees for remote work.

Regarding satisfaction with digitalisation and e-government solutions, 18 per cent of companies said that they are "completely dissatisfied", 28 per cent are “not satisfied” and 46 per cent expressed that they are “somewhat satisfied”, while 8 per cent said they are “very satisfied”.

Fifty-one per cent of the companies surveyed said that their revenues have dropped, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

On the return of employees to on-site work during June, 48 per cent of IT companies indicated that all of their employees have returned, while 25 per cent said that most of their employees have returned, 15 per cent said that most of their employees are still working remotely and 12 per cent said that their entire workforces are still remote.

The survey also showed that 49 per cent of companies reduced the salaries of their employees during June.

Regarding companies’ payment of social security deductions and employee income tax during March and April, the survey showed that 24 per cent of companies were unable to pay these dues.

Furthermore, 66 per cent of IT companies have not applied for financing through the Central Bank of Jordan’s programme, 46 per cent “do not need loans” and 7 per cent of companies indicated that they were “not aware” of the programme. Meanwhile, 31 per cent responded that it is “useless to try” to apply for the financing.