The increase in teleworking among federal government employees in the US has led to a greater focus on network and information security issues, according to a recent study.

Figures from the Telework Exchange organisation show that 63 per cent of chief information security officers (Cisos) working for the government consider improving the security of mobile devices to be their top priority, reports Information Week.

However, the same study showed that mobile devices are being used by an increasing number of federal employees and around 94 per cent of Cisos suggest that teleworking does not necessarily lead to heightened security threats.

Eric Brennan, from Hewlett-Packard who backed the research, is quoted as saying: "When agencies establish telework programs with proper security training, support and equipment, federal employees can safely benefit from more work-life balance, freedom and cost-savings from reduced commute times."

A study conducted by the Kenexa Research Institute recently suggested that home-based workers in the US are happier with their jobs than their office-bound counterparts.