Communication is key - Communication to everyone, and often, will make your move a success.

  • Your team
    • Let your team know the timing, the role that they are expected to play, what will be packed for them and what they need to move themselves. They will need to know when the new space will be available for business as usual so they can plan their work accordingly.
  • External vendors/suppliers
    • With the current backorders and shortages of materials, this cannot be overlooked. Ensure your past purchases will be delivered to the correct location and that you will not experience delays in key supplies to your new location.
  • Delivery companies (such as UPS, FedEx, and USPS)
    • USPS requests you to complete a change of address form either online or in-person at your local post office, typically at least ten days prior to the move.
  • Clients
    • Especially if they pay for their services via check!
  • Your current property manager
    • Do you know if you are responsible for any current property damage? In addition to giving notice, make sure you understand your responsibilities for move out and any restrictions the building may have on move out times/days.

Plan ahead and appoint a key person - identify one key point person to manage logistics and organize the “move team”

Depending on the size of your office, you will need to decide who on your team will be the point person (or people) for this move. Once decided, they’ll need to start the following tasks:

  • (If applicable) contact several moving companies
    • Site-walks will need to be planned to gather accurate quotes. You will also want to confirm what your team will need to pack up versus the moving company.
  • Complete an inventory audit of all items within the office
    • Identify and tag all high value items. This is a great chance to clean up and consolidate and e-waste anything no longer needed. For e-waste best practices you can review our past blog.
  • Purchase moving supplies
    • It’s better to over-purchase than under-purchase to avoid any last-minute scrambles. If you are having each employee pack up their own desk, banker boxes are a great option.
    • Purchasing supplies online will often save you money over going last minute to the local office supply store.
  • Change the company address
    • Do not forget online listings (Google, Yelp, etc.), your website, and social media accounts!
  • Gather requirements and requests for the new space layout
    • Will you need a professional designer, a demolition crew or both?
    • Will you transition from offices to open spaces?
    • In addition to desk layouts, think about areas for collaboration, for relaxation as well as security and storage concerns.
  • Transfer or cancel utilities
    • Depending on the company and service required, some providers may need upwards of a 60 days’ notice-of-cancellation or to provision new services. Review old contracts or reach out to your main point-of-contact for each supplier at least a few months before your move date to know what your contract responsibilities are and what options you have to transfer or cancel services.

Technology - while Hybridge can take care of most of your technical needs, these are the areas you need to think about:

  • Timing - let us know as soon as you start thinking about moving so we can help you identify all key technology needs at your new place of work and to reserve our team for your desired dates.
  • Provisioning of new services - as discussed above, some internet providers require upwards of 60 days’ notice to turn on new services.
  • Network design - we will design your network taking into account capacity needed, users, seating plan, etc. Your new workplace may require new cabling so space and budget for this activity needs to be allocated.
  • Servers - if you have servers onsite, this is a project on its own with various components. We will need to work with you to plan backups, downtime, upgrades, consolidation of servers, etc.
  • Additional items to move and/or add at your new space:
    • Printers
    • Phones
    • Conference rooms (Zoom Rooms, huddle rooms)
    • Security cameras
    • The entry door
    Each of these components will need to be planned and provisioned ahead of time.

We know that moving can be a hassle, which is why we are happy to help, starting from your network design to installing the very last phone and setting up your desks. If you are planning an office move, please give us a call at (650) 421-2000 or send us an email at info(at)hybridge.com.


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