JAKARTA – A top official in Indonesia is proposing the rollout of a nationwide remote work policy that aims to reduce road congestion around the special days of Nyepi (Day of Silence) and Idul Fitri, the end of the holy month of Ramadan. These special days fall on 29 March, 31 March and 1 April.

The holiday observances will be extended this year. President Prabowo Subianto declared 28 March as an additional day of Nyepi, while 2 to 7 April marks an additional week of Idul Fitri celebrations.

In response to the increase in travellers during the yearly observances, Transport Minister Dudy Purwagandhi recommended a work-from-anywhere setup around those special days.

Preparing for the annual exodus

The plan is expected to ease the heavy traffic typically associated with mudik – a practice among migrant workers and city-dwellers in which they travel back from the metropolis to their ancestral villages.

If the recommendation pushes through, Indonesians working for the transport ministry will be able to work from anywhere from 24 to 27 March, according to Minister Dudy.

“Employees in other ministries can also encourage their staff to work from various locations,” the official said, adding that he was counting on other leaders to approve his proposal.

Minister Dudy is also hoping the manpower minister, along with the business community, would adopt a similar proposal for people working in the private sector, The Jakarta Post reported.

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Lessons from previous years: road congestion

Indonesia, which has a population of 280 million, witnesses a steep rise in the number of commuters returning home for the Eid festivities.

In 2024, 242 million people reportedly took part in the homecoming activities, with families coming together in large groups.

Back then, the government rolled out a hybrid work setup for public sector workers. Most of them were caught up in the traffic jam of people returning from their hometowns.

The directive to go hybrid came from then-president Joko Widodo. However, not all types of civil servants were given the leeway to work from home.

Those involved in frontline services were required to work in office. These included workers in health care, security and public order, disaster management, energy, logistics, transportation, distribution, and postal services, according to Jakarta Globe.

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At the time, the Transport Ministry said that following a remote work policy was necessary to keep activity going. “We already have too many holidays; Indonesia will not be productive because of it,” said Budi Karya Sumadi, the former transport minister.

Other holidays can be just as intense. For Christmas and New Year 2024, Jakarta police focused on three aspects of traffic operations: keeping accident-prone areas safe, maintaining good traffic conditions in crossing routes, and maintaining good traffic in popular areas, such as tourist spots.

The impact of a work-from-anywhere policy on employees

Minister Dudy’s work-from-anywhere strategy for this year serves multiple purposes: reducing transportation pressure, supporting employee convenience, and helping manage the logistical challenges of these major observances. The approach prioritises effective holiday management while promoting workforce flexibility and keeping workers’ productivity up.

Studies have shown how remote work can potentially increase productivity by 13%, with 9% stemming from clocking in longer work hours in lieu of the commute and 4% from improved performance.

Employees also report higher job satisfaction and a 50% decrease in job turnover when working remotely.