Twenty-nine-year-old Satya, an employee from Bandung, told The Jakarta Post on Feb. 16 that he would prefer a company with an established WFH policy, even after the pandemic, and that he would consider resigning if such an arrangement was not offered.

In fact, he joined a start-up company just last month, after the managers of his previous firm unveiled their plan to order employees back to the office.

Time-consuming commuting was no longer necessary under WFH, he noted, adding that, before the pandemic, he would spend between two and three hours a day on the road.

Avoiding unnecessary interaction, he said, also allowed him to focus better on his work. A former employer of his, he recalled, required that staffers eat only what the office served and applied “peer pressure” for all to eat at the same time.

Working alone could be tedious at times, Satya admitted, adding though that several friends of his who were also working from home or freelancing often lifted his mood.

Syabha, 22, said working from home was far from perfect, as she was often disturbed by family members and did not have a proper workstation. Moreover, flexible working hours affected the quality of her sleep.

On the other hand, WFH allowed her to save money on commuting and on renting a room close to her workplace. Instead, she can work from her house in Bogor, far away from her office in Jakarta.

Syabha told the Post on Feb. 16 that she did not mind going to the office occasionally but would appreciate it if a company generally allowed employees to work from home.

Read also: Always at work: WFH redefines the boundaries between private and office lives

Consulting and auditing firm Ernst & Young (EY) has detected a WFH trend with a 2021 survey in Southeast Asia showing that only 15 percent of employees preferred full-time office work, while the share of those preferring to work remotely full-time and to work from anywhere doubled to 29 percent and 32 percent, respectively.

The same survey found that six in 10 respondents would quit their job if a company did not provide such an option.

Heriyanto Agung Putra, the chairman of the Human Resource Management Association (PMSM), said on Feb. 17 that it was possible to grant such requests and that human resource departments needed to align themselves with the increasing demand for remote working.

“It’s a very good trend for the future. This will be a trend for years to come,” Heriyanto told the Post.

In fact, some employers, particularly in the services and technology sector, had begun to embrace the trend, he said, arguing that it was beneficial for both companies and workers.

WFH could help companies cut costs on transportation and meal allowances as well as on office supplies. Firms have also started to reduce office space, allowing them to save on rent.

Heriyanto said he believed WFH could improve employees’ well-being as they got to spend more time with their families and would save money on commuting.

Galih Fauzan, head of marketing at PT Multidaya Teknologi Nusantara (eFishery), said on Feb. 17 that the tech firm allowed employees to work from anywhere (WFA).

“Since WFA, the productivity of our employees has increased significantly, while their mental health remains well maintained,” Galih told the Post.

However, Yosminaldi, aka “Yos”, who chairs the Association of Indonesian Human Resource Practitioners (Asphri), noted that remote work was impossible for many firms, especially in manufacturing. Even for many office workplaces, he said, it could not be made permanent.

“Whether WFH or WFO, we need to assess the necessity according to managements’ decisions,” Yos said on Feb. 17, using an acronym for working in the office.

“WFO, in fact, has many benefits. It invigorates workers and helps the economy,” he added.

Read also: Jakarta property sector under pressure from COVID measures: Colliers International

Meanwhile, Indonesia Property Watch (IPW) CEO Ali Tranghanda explained on Feb. 17 that the trend had begun long ago, and the pandemic just happened to speed it up.

Around 30 percent of companies surveyed by IPW in 2020 had opted to stick with WFH for the sake of efficiency and cutting costs, Ali said, adding that the number might grow.

“This would affect the office market, which has already been in decline for two years. It could decline further,” Ali told the Post.