WFH Deemed Flexible Instead Triggers Mental Fatigue for Civil Servants

JAKARTA – For some people, working from home or work from home (WFH) is often regarded as a form of workplace comfort that provides flexibility in time and space. WFH is also frequently perceived as a more relaxed workday: without getting stuck in traffic, without uniforms, and feeling more flexible because one can work from home. However, for Karunia Putri (29), a civil servant (ASN) in the administrative field in Cileungsi, Bogor Regency, WFH has instead become a personal struggle. In a simple room with a makeshift desk, Karunia must work with fluctuating internet signals and data quotas that deplete quickly within hours. Karunia even has to fully rely on her personal mobile hotspot because she does not have a WiFi network at home. For Karunia, the policy of WFH one day per week still has a purpose that she understands, particularly to reduce fuel consumption and worker mobility. However, the experience of working from home does not always run smoothly. She explained that the office work rhythm remains intense even when done from home. In fact, Fridays often become busy days due to numerous online meetings and the sending of large documents. “There are usually many online meetings scheduled on that day. In addition, I often send documents or files that are quite large in size. So almost throughout the day, I am really dependent on the internet,” said Karunia when contacted on Tuesday (5/5/2026). “I work in my room, using a makeshift desk. But for the internet, I fully use the hotspot from my phone. There is no WiFi at home,” she said. According to Karunia, the difference in facilities between working in the office and at home is very noticeable. “At the office, everything is already provided, including the network. At home, we have to provide it ourselves. And for me, what is most felt is the dependence on data quotas,” she said. Karunia admitted that her internet data usage has increased dramatically since implementing WFH. On a single Friday, her data needs can reach 5 to 10 GB, depending on the intensity of meetings and file sending. “If I can use up 5–10 GB in just one Friday, depending on the number of meetings and file sending. So automatically, I have to frequently buy additional packages,” she said. She stated that expenses for the internet have become an additional cost that is quite noticeable financially. “It depends on the signal. Sometimes it’s smooth, but often it’s unstable,” said Karunia.