The Joys and Sorrows of Friday WFH: Civil Servants Anxious About Being Seen as Absent from Work

The government is gradually implementing a work-from-home (WFH) policy on Fridays for civil servants (ASN) starting in April 2026. This measure is designed to curb air pollution and control traffic congestion, permitting remote operations for 25-50% of employees in each agency. For female civil servants who also shoulder roles as mothers at home, the regulation initially promises the much-desired flexibility to balance their routines. However, the reality of this visual workspace often falls short of the imagined freedom without oversight. The unspoken demand to remain digitally vigilant ultimately fosters extra caution when shifting the centre of activities from the formal office desk to individual homes. For Ika Meilani Untari (42), an employee in the Jakarta East City Government, WFH means she cannot escape screen surveillance at all. “At home, the phone is on standby, and the laptop is on standby too. There’s WhatsApp Web as well,” said Ika when contacted on Sunday (3/5/2026). Living in a two-storey residence, she must plan her movements carefully to ensure official communications remain accessible without physical barriers when moving between floors. “So, if I go upstairs, I have to bring the phone. The phone is stuck to me all the time at home,” she explained. To prevent delays in responding due to devices left out of reach, adjusting the ring volume becomes an essential precaution. “The phone’s volume has to be louder because I’m worried about not hearing notifications if it’s left in one spot in the house,” Ika added.