Amethyst Suites Articles

Our routines have completely changed as our lives are upheaved by Covid-19. Work, school, home and social lives have all been significantly altered. All the changes that have taken place become our new normal. As the world starts to reopen after months of lockdown, business activities gradually resume albeit with much higher caution. As business leaders prepare their employees to embrace the new normal, here are some steps to consider: 1. Change mindset Getting used to the new normal is the key to survive instead of indefinitely waiting on the sideline. Anticipating the road ahead will be tough as the whole world is trying to make a come back. Expect other “wars” even after we win against Covid-19. Be realistic, be vigilant and be prepared. 2. Implement new guidelines As government imposes new health and safety regulations, companies also need to set up new policies for their employees to adhere to....

Before Covid-19 pandemic, not everyone is familiar with the term “virtual”, in fact sometimes some people even perceive the word to have a negative connotation. Nowadays, as the situation requires us to keep physical and social distancing, all of a sudden everyone understands what “virtual” means because almost all of our activities are taking place in the virtual world, including virtual meetings, virtual religious activities, and even virtual concerts. Many entrepreneurs also increasingly use virtual office in lieu of conventional office. A virtual office allows you to use a physical address and enjoy office-related services (including meeting room, lounge, secretarial services, internet access) without having to buy or rent any physical office space nor hire administrative staff. Virtual office users can work from anywhere using their laptop or mobile phone. Virtual office was first commercially ...

Covid-19 pandemic reminds us that life is a repetitive cycle. A hundred years ago, the Spanish flu swept the globe and infected about a third of the world’s population at the time. It was one of the deadliest pandemics in human history which took the lives of tens of millions people. We do not know how Covid-19 will fare against Spanish flu. However, we do know that we are part of a major event in human history so our role, action and contribution in this pandemic will reflect what the future world will become. Along with the changes caused by the pandemic, business habit is also gradually changing. “Working from home” has overnight taken over the old practice of “working at office”. All of a sudden office becomes redundant. Smart business owner adapts quickly and adopts more efficiency measures by moving to more flexible and cheaper alternatives such as Serviced Office, Coworking Space or even Virtual Office...

As the concept of “sharing economy” has become more acceptable in our everyday life, we will see many more companies, particularly the small to medium sized companies, moving from conventional (traditional) office to Serviced Office or Coworking Space. Increase in the remote workforce also means less need for sizeable office. It is not surprising to see Serviced Office and Coworking Space industry flourishing in major cities in Indonesia with domestic and international players. Below are some of the most important criteria to be considered in your evaluation process given the available choices: 1. Location, location, location - Make sure the location is within permitted business zone. Two of the most favorite Jakarta CBD locations are Jl. Sudirman (Central Jakarta CBD) and Jl. Simatupang (South Jakarta CBD) - Surrounding and in-building amenities (banking, restaurants, coffee shops, hotels & apartments, m...

As we move on to adjust to life with coronavirus around us, we realize that paradigm shifts and lifestyle changes are inevitable. Almost no economy, industry or business that is not affected by these shifts and changes. The good news is that not everyone loses, there are some winners who thrive. The bad news is we do not know if the losers will see light at the end of the tunnel any time soon. The list below by no means is comprehensive but is merely pointing out the most affected industry sectors. The Biggest Winners E-commerce - Demand and supply of goods and services offered online will increase Logistics - More goods and services will rely on delivery services Pharmaceuticals - In times of medical crisis, pharmaceutical industry provides medical supplies, cure and vaccine needed Virtual Meeting Room - As “working from home” becomes the new norm, video-conferencing becomes the ne...

Working remotely has become the new normal as the world is adapting to new life with coronavirus. Many companies are looking to continue the practice in the long run. Twitter, for example, has offered staff the option of working from home permanently. Facebook has announced plans to shift towards a more remote workforce as long-term trend. For employees, working from home means more flexibility as they no longer have to commute hours to get to work. For employers, this translates into cost-savings as they no longer have to invest in big city office. For many managers, however, this may mean the loss of regular control, creating new challenges that they have never experienced before. Below is guidance that can help them manage the situation better: Set clear expectations - Create and communicate clear goals, make everyone accountable for his/her part - Instill “business as usual” mindset Establish ta...

Usually when we hear the word “coronavirus” we immediately associate it with disease, pandemic, crisis, lockdown, unemployment, deaths etc. Such is its threat, that there are global movements calling on all people of faith to pray that the virus will go away soon so we all can go back to living in “the good old days”. Our focus on the negativities that the pandemic is associated with plays down any positive impact of the coronavirus. And yet the reality is that months of lockdown to curtail the spread of the virus has also brought positive impacts on the environment, technology and humanity. Environment As government of almost all major countries in the world rushes to lockdown their cities and countries, factories are forced to shutdown or operate at low capacity. People are forced to stay home and almost all kinds or transportation are abruptly cut. Air travels are reduced to a fraction of what t...

“A big business starts small”  is a quote by Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Atlantic Airlines. A creative mind, an innovative idea, a determination and a lot of dedication are the primary factors to start a business. Once an idea translates into a real business opportunity, capital can be raised from family and friends or from financial institutions such as banks or venture capitalists alike. One of the first things a startup entrepreneur needs to do is to set up a proper legal entity and find an office which gives it a formal business address as well as a suitable working environment. Here is a list of office types to choose from: 1. Home Office The founders of Microsoft and Amazon reportedly started their business in their garages. Apple, Facebook and Alibaba also started from their home offices. It is the easiest and cheapest choice although it may not be ideal for everyone. Moreover, in certain ...

When it comes to workspace for small to medium-sized businesses, or representative offices of multinational companies, the serviced offices and coworking spaces have become popular choices. Compared to conventional office, serviced offices and coworking spaces offer more flexible agreements in terms of length of contract, commencement date etc. Typically, serviced office and coworking spaces provide in-house facilities such as high-speed internet, meeting rooms, lounge and pantry, as well as secretarial and cleaning services so you do not need to hire your own receptionists nor cleaners. As serviced office and coworking spaces come as readily available, fully furnished, ready to go offices, you practically can move in instantly and get straight down to business without worrying about fitting out or hiring full administrative staff. Below are some considerations when it comes to choosing between serviced...