Want Remote Work in Indonesia? Here's Your Perfect Guide

If I’d have told you 5 years ago that we would all be working from home, terrified to breathe next to each other and (mostly) not flying anywhere, what would you say? Conspiracy? Crazy? Put down the bottle? Well, maybe you’re right on all three, but the rise of remote work has unlocked possibilities for Indonesians, dragging some companies kicking and screaming into the remote work era. No longer confined to office cubicles, millions of worker bees now have their sights set on work-from-home roles and the delights of doing your laundry while you’re on mute in the boring daily Teams catchup.

Many, many companies are shifting to flexible and hybrid policies, how do you land sweet, sweet work at-home gig? As a real life “working from home and never going back to an office ever again” advocate, I’ve thrown together some key strategies to launch your work-from-home career in Indonesia's exploding remote job market:

Here are key tips to do well:

- Set up a dedicated workspace - Having an ergonomic and distraction-free home office will optimise productivity. Trust me on this - get a comfortable chair and reliable internet.

- Establish routines - Maintain regular hours and schedules to stay focused, be consistent and get ready for work by showering and dressing professionally.

- Take breaks - Avoid burnout by taking intermittent breaks to stretch, make a coffee, play some guitar, hydrate, collect your parcels, move around. Stepping outside for some fresh air can re-energize.

- Leverage productivity tools - Apps like Slack, Trello and Google Suite will help you get yourself (or at least look like) you’re organising and collaborating. Digital calendars and reminders are also handy for managing remote work - use those annoying pings to your advantage.

- Stay connected - Don't isolate yourself, grow a beard, get weird and disappear into the isolated lands of your spare room. Set up virtual coffee chats and attend online social events to bond with colleagues.

- Prioritise health - The beauty of working from home is you get all of your home comforts, from eating nutritious meals to engaging in regular exercise, don't neglect self-care. A healthy body supports a healthy mind.

Indonesia's Stats on Remote Work

Here’s some encouraging numbers on Indonesia's work-from-home world:

• 72% of companies now offer remote work options, per 2021 data from JobsDB. This figure has risen steadily since the pandemic's advent and likely will drop a bit, but not back to pre-’VID levels.

• Indonesia's remote workforce rocketed from 4.3 million in 2020 to 13 million in 2021 according to the Jakarta Post - tripling up!

• 70% of Indonesian workers report higher productivity when working from home (although there are a few companies citing studies saying that having more time to pet your cat and stay in comfy clothes is bad for productivity). Only 12% prefer working full-time from offices - likely those uber socialites that want everyone to sign their birthday card.

The message is clear - remote work is the future for digitally-connected Indonesian workers, and companies (even ones that can’t get out of their obscene lease contracts so try to force you to come back) cannot fight it.

How To Land Remote Roles in Indonesia

Position yourself for success in obtaining remote employment with these strategies:

• Fix up your skills - like software proficiency, data analysis and digital marketing. Take online courses to level up your expertise.

• Don’t forget soft skills - communication, collaboration, time management and self-motivation are essential for at-home gigs.

• Reference WFH/remote on your resume and cover letter to show you’ve done it, you’re cool with it, you prefer it, you’re looking for it.

• Who do you know? Perhaps some contacts and social media groups can turn up some promising openings.

• Job boards - Some specifically remote job sites like FlexJobs plus the aggregators like Workclass, Indeed and JobsDB.

Top Companies Hiring Remote Workers in Indonesia

Major players across Indonesia are expanding their remote staff. Here’s a quick rundown of the top remote employers:

- Gojek - This super app offers jobs within the engineering, marketing and operations areas.

- Traveloka - Indonesia's leading travel app has openings in IT, design and product.

- Tokopedia - Ecommerce giant Tokopedia recruits programmers, product managers and more.

- Bukalapak - Remote positions in engineering, analytics and more are available at this popular online marketplace.

The rise of remote work grants Indonesians unprecedented freedom and if you’re not already there, flex your skills and passion for flexible work, you can land that fulfilling work-from-home job and redefine your career. Get on Workclass, update that resume and get applying!