Not All the Same! The Variety of WFH Rules for Civil Servants Across Regions
Civil servants in Indonesia are now officially required to work from the office only four days a week, with one day per week permitted for working from home, or WFH (work from home).
The Minister for State Apparatus Utilization and Bureaucratic Reform (PANRB), Rini Widyantini, has officially issued a circular regulating in detail the work-from-home policy for civil servants every Friday, both at the central and regional levels.
The Minister of PANRB’s Circular Number 3 of 2026 on the Implementation of Official Duties for Civil Servant Employees in Government Agencies, which she has issued, takes effect from 1 April 2026.
“Through this policy, we encourage the implementation of official duties that are more efficient, effective, adaptive, and digitally based, thereby improving civil servant productivity and the quality of public services sustainably,” Rini stated in a written remark on Wednesday (1/4/2026).
A key point of the policy, aimed at saving national energy amid the turmoil of the Middle East conflict, is that WFH must not alter the provisions for working days and hours for civil servants, but rather adjust the working method while remaining oriented towards performance achievements.
“Work flexibility must still align with performance targets. The main focus remains on output and outcomes, not on the work location,” she emphasised.
In several regional governments, provisions for the WFH policy have also been established for regional civil servants. Here is a summary:
- Not applicable to all employees
One regional government that has announced the WFH policy for its civil servants is the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government.
“On Fridays, we will implement work from home,” said DKI Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung after holding a plenary leadership meeting to follow up on the central government’s policy, on Wednesday (1/4/2026).
However, he emphasised that WFH does not apply to all employees, particularly those in public service sectors and strategic positions.
Vital sectors such as health, fire brigade (Gulkarmat), Satpol PP, Transportation Agency, and other public services are ensured to continue working in the field as usual.
“There are several exceptions not included in work from home, for example, middle-level and primary-level officials, as well as matters related to public services like Satpol PP, Transportation Agency, Health, Gulkarmat/Fire Department; they will continue to carry out duties as usual,” he explained.
This policy applies to employees in the administrative sector. The WFH quota stipulated by the DKI Provincial Government is in the range of 25% to a maximum of 50%. Detailed technicalities regarding WFH are being prepared by the DKI Jakarta Secretary General together with the Head of the Personnel and Human Resources Development Agency and will be formalised in a Governor’s Decree.
With this policy, there are two special working days for civil servants regulated by the DKI Provincial Government. Namely, Wednesdays for public transportation days for civil servants and Fridays for WFH.
“There are two days with special arrangements: every Wednesday, public transportation is still implemented, while on Fridays we will apply work from home,” he stated.
- Phones must not be turned off during WFH
The East Java Provincial Government has also officially implemented the work-from-home policy for civil servants every Wednesday, starting from 1 April 2026.
East Java Governor Khofifah Indar Parawansa ensured that the implementation of WFH on the first day runs with strict supervision.
She instructed the inspectorate and the Regional Personnel Agency (BKD) to monitor civil servant discipline to prevent misuse of the policy as a holiday.
“I have asked the inspectorate to deploy teams for monitoring. Even if staff are WFH, electricity and air conditioning in the office must be controlled,” said Khofifah.
She emphasised that the concept applied is pure WFH, not work from anywhere (WFA). Civil servants are still required to conduct digital attendance and maintain active communication during working hours.
“They must have digital presence; phones must not be turned off. Whenever coordination is needed, they must be able to connect immediately,” she stressed.
- Wednesday to avoid long weekends
In addition to East Java, the South Sumatra Provincial Government is also considering the WFH policy in line with central government directives as an effort to save fuel. Instead of Fridays, the provincial government prefers Wednesdays as the WFH day for its civil servants.
South Sumatra Governor Herman Deru said that Wednesday is the most feasible option, considering that Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday are deemed less effective due to proximity to the weekend.
“If it’s Friday or Monday, the weekend will be too long. If Thursday, then Friday becomes a national sandwiched holiday. If Tuesday, Monday becomes a sandwiched holiday. So the most possible is Wednesday, that’s the likelihood,” he said, as reported by detikcom, on Wednesday (30/3/2026).