Apindo: Private Sector WFH Implementation Needs Flexibility

The Indonesian Employers Association (Apindo) assesses that the recommendation to work from home (WFH) once a week requires an adaptive and measured approach. Apindo General Chair Shinta W Kamdani stated that the business world understands the policy as part of the government’s efforts to anticipate rising energy prices and their impact on fuel consumption, as well as to build vigilance amid uncertain geopolitical dynamics.

“However, the implementation of the policy needs to be carried out adaptively, measurably, and considering real field conditions to maintain productivity and the continuity of economic activities,” said Shinta, as quoted from Antara on Thursday, 2 April 2026.

According to her, the decision to implement work from home must consider the company’s conditions and cannot be applied uniformly across all sectors. “The WFH policy needs to provide room for flexibility, not a uniform application. Each company has different operational characteristics, so the most effective decision lies at the level of each company,” Shinta explained.

Operational realities in the field, she continued, show that needs, capacities, and business models are very diverse, even within the same sector. Shinta said companies have the most comprehensive understanding of their business processes, supply chains, production targets, and human resource management.

“In this context, flexibility is not just about differentiating sectors, but giving companies the space to independently assess which functions can be carried out via WFH without disrupting productivity and operational continuity,” she stated.

Apindo views the policy as best remaining an adaptive recommendation based on trust in the business world. “Uniform policy application has the potential to cause operational disruptions and inefficiencies, especially if it does not consider the internal complexities of each company,” said Shinta.

In addition, she assessed that the government also needs to anticipate potential unintended impacts on public mobility patterns. “For example, placing WFH on Fridays is seen as potentially creating a perception of a long weekend, which could encourage increased mobility and be counterproductive to the goal of controlling energy consumption,” she added.

“The effectiveness of this policy will be greatly determined by a flexible, measured approach that provides room for decision-making at the company level as the main actors in economic activities,” said Shinta.

Previously, Minister of Manpower Yassierli stated that the WFH policy for private sector employees is a recommendation, taking into account operational needs and each company’s policies.