TRENGGALEK – Trenggalek administration is still reviewing a work-from-home policy for civil servants as officials seek ways to improve budget efficiency without disrupting public services.

Local authorities have not issued an official regulation yet. However, the regional government has started preparing an initial concept for the WFH scheme.

Trenggalek Regional Secretary Edy Soepriyanto said the administration continues discussing the most suitable system for government employees.

“At this moment, there is no policy that must immediately take effect. But we have started preparing the concept,” Edy said.

The Trenggalek government aims to save at least Rp 9 billion through the efficiency program. Officials plan to reduce operational costs, including fuel expenses and office spending.

According to Edy, the current discussion focuses on a limited WFH arrangement. Under the proposal, civil servants would work from home only one day each week.

Authorities still need to finalize several technical details before launching the policy. Officials continue discussing work systems, reporting mechanisms, and employee supervision.

Edy stressed that WFH does not mean civil servants can relax during working hours. Employees must still complete all duties and maintain performance standards.

“WFH means working from home. Employees still have responsibilities and work targets,” he explained.

He also said some outdoor activities would remain acceptable if they relate to official duties. For example, trade office staff can continue monitoring market prices outside government offices.

“If trade officials visit markets for price monitoring, that still relates to official work,” he said.

Besides technical arrangements, the regional government also continues drafting administrative rules for daily work patterns and employee monitoring.

Edy explained that the planned WFH policy differs from the remote work system introduced during the Covid-19 pandemic.

During the pandemic, authorities implemented remote work to reduce virus transmission. This time, the administration wants to focus on budget efficiency and operational savings.

“The context is different now. Previously, we used remote work because of the pandemic. This time, we focus on efficiency,” he said.

Earlier this year, the Trenggalek administration also applied a work-from-anywhere policy during the 2026 Eid al-Fitr holiday period.

Under that arrangement, civil servants could work flexibly from different locations. However, they still had to remain available for duty whenever needed.

The Trenggalek administration hopes the future WFH system can create measurable budget savings while maintaining public service quality.

Officials also continue waiting for implementation guidelines from Indonesia’s central government before finalizing the policy.

“We are still waiting for technical instructions from the central government. After that, we will follow up with an official circular,” Edy said.