Shorter workweek in Bali

DENPASAR, Bali: The Bali provincial administration is ready to introduce a five-day workweek for its employees, Governor Ida Bagus Oka said as quoted by Antara.

Oka said, however, that the plan, which would improve the effectiveness and efficiency of employees, must be approved by the central government first.

State Minister of Administrative Reforms T.B. Silalahi recently said the government would allow the Bali administration to work a shorter week as long as productivity did not decline.

A one-year trial run for a five-day workweek throughout Indonesia found that in most cases, the shorter workweek led to a fall in productivity.

The sole exception was Jakarta, where the five-day workweek was adopted. Other administrations reverted back to a six-day workweek. (09)