Treat an office move as a business-continuity project with named owners, cutover tests and rollback plans. Furniture transport is only one workstream.

Governance

Set decision owner, move manager, IT lead, facilities lead, people/communications lead and suppliers. Maintain inventory, dependencies, risks, budget, schedule and escalation contacts.

Before cutover

• Confirm lease/building access and loading.
• Map internet, telephony, power and security.
• Back up data and test restoration.
• Label equipment to user/location without exposing sensitive data.
• Arrange secure records and media handling.
• Plan staff accessibility and remote-work continuity.
• Notify clients, suppliers and relevant authorities.

Moving IT

IT should control shutdown, chain of custody, transport, reconnection and testing. Photograph connections where appropriate, encrypt devices, separate backups and agree how failed hardware is handled.

Opening checks

Test network, phones, access control, alarms, critical applications, printers, meeting systems and emergency procedures before staff depend on them. Keep a rollback or temporary-working option.

FAQs

Who coordinates IT?

A named internal or contracted IT owner with authority over shutdown, custody, reconnection, security and acceptance testing.

What must be agreed before staff arrive?

Access, safety, connectivity, critical systems, support contacts, seating/accessibility and fallback arrangements.

Suggested component

Use an Office Move Cutover Board with dependencies, owners, test evidence and rollback status.

Related guides

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