- Asian governments are repatriating workers due to energy shortages caused by the US-Israeli war in Iran
- Pakistan immediately forces half of public sector workers to work remotely
- Vietnam urges citizens to cycle, adopt remote working strategies
Governments across Asia have issued new guidelines requiring public sector employees to work from home as US-Israeli attacks in Iran disrupt oil supplies and cause fuel shortages.
In Pakistan, Vietnam, Thailand and the Philippines, governments have imposed measures to reduce energy consumption and conserve limited energy resources.
They are leveraging their previous experience during the COVID-19 pandemic to implement remote work on a large scale.
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Asian countries strive to reduce fuel consumption
In Pakistan, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has asked half of all government employees to work from home and strongly encouraged private companies to adopt similar measures, with universities and other higher education institutions ready to move classes online.
Authorities emphasize that remote working is a necessary step to reduce fuel consumption while maintaining essential services.
Vietnam’s Ministry of Industry and Trade also urged citizens to work remotely if possible and use bicycles rather than electric vehicles.
Thailand, on the other hand, has asked public sector employees who are not directly involved in frontline service delivery to stay at home.
The Southeast Asian country insists that air conditioning temperatures be set at 26°C and encourages the use of stairs rather than elevators.
Meanwhile, the Philippines adopted a four-day on-office policy for public sector personnel.
This allows agencies to designate common work-from-home days or compress the workweek, while promoting virtual meetings to limit unnecessary travel.
Authorities introduced the measures as they warned that electricity supplies could also be affected.
Although data center operators have diesel generators for backup power, most only have a few days’ worth of fuel.
This raises concerns about the durability of virtual infrastructure for extended periods of time.
The region’s previous experience with remote working has enabled governments to use productivity tools and video conferencing platforms.
These measures show that, even in geopolitical crises, governments can implement large-scale remote operations if digital infrastructure is available and authorities carefully manage operational constraints.
While this change is driven by energy savings, it also shows how conflicts like the US war in Iran can accelerate long-term changes in workplace practices.
Asian governments now rely on technology and stable supply chains to support their operations.
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