Friday Work-From-Home for Civil Servants Deemed to Ease Mobility in Major Cities

Public policy expert from Gadjah Mada University (UGM), Agustinus Subarsono, says that the work-from-home policy on Fridays for civil servants has succeeded in reducing mobility in major cities. He described it as one of the positive impacts visible from the policy aimed at energy efficiency.

‘In major cities such as Jakarta, Medan, Surabaya, Bandung, Makassar and Semarang, WFH is expected to reduce the density of population mobility,’ he told Kompas.com on Friday (22 May 2026).

The standard operating procedures (SOP) for civil servants during WFH, he noted, need to be considered to ensure public services are not sacrificed. ‘What the public asks, including myself, is whether each region or government agency already has SOPs that regulate the WFH mechanism,’ he said.

He emphasised that the effectiveness of WFH should be assessed by whether civil servants are continuing to serve the public. ‘If WFH on Fridays at government agencies is extended, it could reduce public satisfaction with services, as the number of serving civil servants would be reduced and queues could become longer,’ he said.

Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto said the WFH policy for civil servants and the private sector would be extended for two more months. The extension is because the global geopolitical situation remains volatile. ‘Where the war has not ended, WFH will be extended for two more months,’ Airlangga said after a meeting with President Prabowo Subianto at the State Palace Complex, Jakarta, Thursday (21 May 2026).

WFH is part of an adaptive step to respond to global dynamics. The government is also promoting changes in work patterns that are more efficient and digitally based. ‘This overall policy is part of a structural transformation toward a more efficient, productive, and resilient economy,’ Airlangga said at an online press conference on Tuesday (31 March 2026).

Airlangga also stressed that public services will continue, and the Friday WFH policy is not permanent and will be evaluated periodically. ‘Public services will continue, and productive activities including banking, the capital market, and others will continue. Those in offices can regulate themselves with specific apps,’ he said.