
In a move aimed at improving work-life balance and reducing stress among employees, Indonesia’s Ministry of State-Owned Enterprises has officially launched a four-day work week program. This initiative, called the Compressed Work Schedule, allows eligible employees to work four days a week instead of the traditional five, as long as they meet the 40-hour weekly work requirement. The program is voluntary and can be used up to twice a month.
The decision to roll out the program comes after a successful pilot project that began in June 2023. Tedi Bharata, the Deputy Minister for Human Resource Management, Technology, and Information, explained the details of the initiative in an interview with CNN Indonesia on January 24. He stated, “If someone is working 40 hours in a week, they can choose to work four days within the same week. It’s available for those who want it, but it requires approval.”
However, employees who do not meet the 40-hour weekly threshold will continue to follow the standard five-day work schedule. For now, the program is limited to staff members of the Ministry of State-Owned Enterprises and has not been extended to the 47 state-owned companies under the ministry’s supervision. Tedi clarified that the initiative is still being evaluated for its effectiveness before it can potentially be expanded to these firms.
The idea of a four-day work week was first proposed by Erick Thohir, the Minister of State-Owned Enterprises, in March 2023. Thohir emphasized that the main goal of the initiative is to reduce stress levels among employees and improve their work-life balance. He highlighted that 70% of Indonesia’s younger generation faces mental health challenges, which negatively impact their productivity. In an Instagram post, Thohir stated, “The Indonesian economy will face many challenges in 2024 and 2025, so it is important to maintain a balance between work and life.”
Internal surveys conducted by the ministry revealed that employees strongly desire better work-life balance, which further supported the decision to implement the four-day work week. However, it remains unclear whether this initiative will be adopted by other government ministries in Indonesia.
Meanwhile, the idea of a four-day work week has also gained attention in Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia. A member of the gubernatorial transition team for incoming Jakarta governor Pramono Anung proposed introducing a similar policy for workers in the city. Tedi Bharata expressed support for the idea, calling it a “good policy.” However, Ima Mahdiah, the head of Pramono’s transition team, clarified that the suggestion was a personal opinion of Nirwana Joga, an urban planning expert on the team, and not an official proposal.
Globally, the concept of a four-day work week has gained traction, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic. Belgium became the first European Union country to implement a law allowing employees to choose between a four-day or five-day work week, with longer daily hours required for those opting for the shorter week. In Asia, several cities in Japan have also started piloting similar initiatives. The Japanese government has introduced a four-day work week system for employees with specific responsibilities, such as caring for children or family members, with plans to expand it to all employees by April 2025.
In Indonesia, the four-day work week has already been adopted by some startups, including Syariah-compliant fintech company Alami, e-commerce platform Bolt, and crowdfunding platform Kickstarter. As the Ministry of State-Owned Enterprises continues to evaluate the program’s effectiveness, it remains to be seen whether the four-day work week will become a more widespread practice across the country.