Wildan's Story: Staying Productive During WFH as a Gen Z Civil Servant

Every Wednesday, Wildan no longer has to head out early to battle the traffic in Surabaya city to get to the office. This Gen Z civil servant in the East Java Provincial Government is carrying out work from home (WFH) from his bedroom, accompanied by his laptop, phone, and a packed schedule of online meetings from morning until evening. On one hand, this work system makes activities feel more flexible and energy-efficient. On the other hand, the boundary between work and personal time has become even thinner. “Of course, this is a breath of fresh air, because the main goal is also to save energy amid the war and rising fuel prices, so we can be more efficient with fuel,” Wildan explained when interviewed by Kompas.com on Monday (4/5/2026). “It turns out that WFH is just as productive, because now coordination and communication can still happen through social media and other channels,” he said. His routine during WFH is still closely monitored. Civil servants in his work environment are required to check in three times a day. “In the East Java Provincial Government, we check in three times: in the morning, at noon after the break, and when leaving or finishing work. There’s even location coordinates to ensure that we’re working from home,” he said. For Wildan, online meetings have become an almost inseparable part of the workday. Zoom calls can run from morning until evening. Therefore, even without coming to the office, his activities remain packed. “My job happens to involve a lot of Zoom in the morning, afternoon, or evening. So performance can still be monitored even during WFH,” he continued. During work hours, family members try not to disturb him so that his concentration remains intact. “Alhamdulillah, my family’s support is very good. If it’s work hours, my family understands and doesn’t disturb. But during break times, there are moments when we chat and eat together,” he said.