Labour Minister States WFH for Private Sector is Merely Advisory, Here's Why

The Ministry of Manpower has issued a circular regarding the implementation of work from home (WFH) for one day per week in the private sector. However, during a working meeting with Commission IX of the House of Representatives on Thursday (9 April 2026), Minister of Manpower Yassierli explained that the circular is merely advisory. “I also conveyed to Commission IX (DPR) that it is advisory in nature,” Yassierli stated, quoted from the YouTube broadcast of TVR Parlemen on Friday (10 April 2026). Yassierli explained that the Ministry of Manpower does not want to hinder economic growth through mandatory WFH one day per week for private companies. Therefore, the Minister of Manpower’s Circular (SE) Number M/6/HK.04/III/2026 on WFH and Optimisation of Energy Utilisation in the Workplace is only advisory. “In that circular, we also specifically state that we do not want this circular to impact economic growth. So we still want economic growth to rise, fellow workers to be productive, and our industry to advance. That is our hope,” Yassierli said. For this reason, the Ministry of Manpower cannot standardise the WFH implementation day as applied to civil servants (ASN). “We are very aware that companies have unique characteristics. So we cannot generalise. We have also determined sectors that can be given exemptions, those directly related to public services and so on,” Yassierli said. The following is the content of the Minister of Manpower’s Circular (SE) Number M/6/HK.04/III/2026 on WFH for the private sector, signed by Yassierli on 31 March 2026: In order to strengthen national energy resilience while encouraging productive, adaptive, and sustainable work patterns, systematic steps need to be taken in energy utilisation in the workplace. In connection with this, leaders of Private Companies, State-Owned Enterprises (BUMN), and Regional Owned Enterprises (BUMD) are urged to: