The Jakarta administration is once again discussing the prospect of staggered working hours in an attempt to alleviate the city’s chronic traffic congestion.
Acting governor Heru Budi Hartono recently suggested private office workers to start their work day at two distinct times, 8 a.m. and 10 a.m., potentially reducing morning traffic by 30%.
However, this plan faced resistance last year from the Confederation of Indonesian Trade Unions and the Indonesian Employers Association, due to concerns about productivity and workers’ biological rhythms.
The idea has drawn criticism from city councillor William Aditya Sarana, who proposed the enforcement of remote or hybrid working models instead.
Similarly, transportation expert Harya S. Dillon advised against the staggered hours scheme, suggesting the implementation of travel demand management strategies to encourage public transportation use and deter private vehicle usage.
