WFH for Civil Servants Deemed Not Necessarily Energy-Saving
The work-from-home (WFH) policy for civil servants (ASN), set to be implemented by the government, raises questions about its effectiveness in curbing energy consumption. Rather than truly saving energy, the policy is seen as potentially just transferring the energy burden from offices to households.
Public policy observer Trubus Rahardiansah believes the success of the policy heavily depends on supervision and workload management in each agency. According to him, restricting ASN mobility can indeed reduce fuel consumption in the transportation sector. However, electricity consumption could increase the burden on households.
“If it comes to its effectiveness, it very much depends on how much supervision and workload there is from leaders in each work unit,” said Trubus when contacted on Thursday (9/4).
“The energy consumption burden could shift from the office to home. People still use electricity, still use devices, only the location changes,” he said.
From an implementation perspective, Trubus highlighted supervision challenges, particularly in regions. Control mechanisms must be properly enforced, as without them, WFH implementation could stray far from the intended goals.
“Supervision is not easy. ASN supervising other ASN, especially in regions, is very dependent on regional heads,” he said.
The WFH experience during the COVID-19 period, according to Trubus, occurred in a very different context. At that time, the work-from-home policy was driven by urgent health needs.
Unlike the current relatively normal conditions, WFH lacks the same urgency, so its effectiveness and discipline truly need to be monitored.
According to Trubus, there are other factors that could affect WFH effectiveness. He noted that not all ASN have adequate home conditions for working. Such conditions could potentially reduce work effectiveness or even lead to work-from-anywhere (WFA) practices that deviate from the savings spirit.
“If the home is not conducive, they end up working outside, like from a cafe. That also becomes a problem,” he stated.
Nevertheless, the WFH policy is still in a trial phase. The government is seen as testing it to observe its impact on energy efficiency and bureaucratic performance.
Trubus views the policy as still worth trying as a precautionary step amid global pressures, particularly related to energy. Evaluation will be key in determining whether WFH should continue or not.
“This is like testing the water. We’ll see the evaluation later on whether the Rp6.2 trillion savings target is achieved or not,” he said.
Pramono Anung sets WFH for ASN every Friday. Working hours remain normal, cameras must be active during meetings, and work discipline is tightened to ensure optimal public services.