One Day at Home: How Much Does It Save on Fuel?

The government’s decision to implement a work from home (WFH) policy for one day every Friday for Civil Servants (ASN) has emerged amid global uncertainties stemming from the escalation of the Iran-Israel-United States conflict, which is pressuring the stability of the world’s energy supply. As oil prices fluctuate, the government’s fiscal room to hold fuel prices steady is becoming increasingly narrow. In this context, WFH is positioned as an instrument for energy efficiency as well as accelerating the digital transformation of the bureaucracy. However, the question arises: how effective is one day of WFH per week as a fuel-saving policy? Does this policy have a significant macro impact, or is it more symbolic? Analysis from the International Energy Agency estimates that if workers who can work from home do so for one day per week, global oil consumption for road transport could decrease by around 1% per year. Another study of 141 cities, published in Transportation Research Interdisciplinary Perspectives, shows that every 1% increase in WFH workers correlates with a roughly 1.8% reduction in daily transport emissions. Reducing daily trips also alleviates congestion and external transport costs, such as pollution and time lost to commuting, as reported in Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board. During the Covid-19 pandemic, the global reduction in mobility led to a drop in petrol consumption by millions of barrels per day, demonstrating how sensitive energy demand is to work patterns. This means that, in theory, WFH does contribute to fuel efficiency. However, its impact is gradual, not an instant solution to global energy pressures. The pandemic experience also showed that the benefits of WFH are not evenly distributed. Knowledge-based work adapts relatively easily, but manufacturing, direct public services, and logistics sectors still require physical presence. In Indonesia, the proportion of formal workers who can work flexibly remains limited. Thus, the WFH policy for ASN is likely to affect only a small portion of national fuel consumption. Post-pandemic studies also indicate a rebound effect: reduced work trips may be replaced by other journeys, such as recreational activities or working from alternative locations like cafes or co-working spaces. Some studies even find that transport energy savings are partially offset by increased household electricity consumption. In other words, WFH is not a standalone energy policy. Its effectiveness depends on the design of supporting policies.