Moving your office safely during the Covid-19 Pandemic

The Prime Minister of Malaysia, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has recently announced that the ongoing movement control order (MCO) 3.0 initially scheduled to end on 28 June will be further extended as long as the number of daily new cases remains high.

If you’re wondering if it is safe to move during this time, there won’t be a definite answer to it. It depends entirely on whether you, your employees and your professional moving team are cautious about keeping everyone safe to minimize the risk of spread of the virus

It has been expected that COVID-19 will linger around anywhere between 2-3 years. It would seem unlikely that the threat of COVID-19 will disappear into thin air any time soon. Rather it would be more realistic and beneficial to be aware of the dormant threats and taking precautionary steps to ensure your move during COVID-19 is safe for everyone involved. We understand that a commercial move can be stressful enough under normal circumstances; But during a major wide-scale health crisis, the stress may amplify. Therefore, if your business has a move planned during this pandemic, it is imperative to handle the move as safely as possible.

Some tips to plan an office move safely during the Covid-19 pandemic:

• Engage a trusted professional moving company

Many moving companies are still operating throughout the pandemic in accordance with SOPs  issued by Ministry of Health Malaysia. Contact these moving companies and complete a comprehensive analysis of your options. Find out more about how their operations have changed to adapt to current pandemic, choose one that is reliable and committed to completing your office move in as safe a manner as possible.

• Invest in deep cleaning

Cleaning a new office premises is something all business owners would do under normal circumstances.  However, it is now more important than ever. Prior to your move, ask your property management company if the new premises will be deep cleaned.  If not, it’s always a worthwhile investment to arrange this yourself. Check with your moving company if they provide such service. It will surely be less hassle for you in the entire office move planning if the moving company provides all related services under one roof, ensuring a seamless office move.

• Take care of your employees

It’s best to keep a small team of employees to assist with the move. Make sure all employees involved in the move understand and adhere fully to SOPs. For any employees who need to be present during the move, be it to direct the moving team, to perform pre- and post-move checks, and etc, must ensure social distancing is practiced at all times. Also, provide them with sufficient personal protective equipment that meet approved specifications, including face masks and hand sanitizer.

• Prepare a ‘self-isolation room’

Allocate an area or a room so your employees can stay in “isolation” during the move. Movers and packers will not enter the room.  This shall minimize unnecessary contacts between your employees and the moving crew.

• Packing done in advance

It’s unlikely to catch COVID-19 from a surface, but the risk still exists. Studies suggest that COVID-19 can remain active on cardboard for as long as 24-hours. Hence, it’s crucial to ensure all your office equipment is packed up and ready to go with at least 24 hours to spare, as this will limit the chance of any possible infection from spreading further. Once into your new premises, clean & sanitize all furniture, boxes and other belongings that have been touched in the process of moving.  Cleaning boxes and other moving materials is likely not part of a typical move. However, as the virus has been proven to live on surfaces for a significant amount of time, it is imperative to clean all surfaces that have been touched by others – and then wash your hands immediately.

Crown Workspace Malaysia understand the importance of maintaining continuity for your business, especially during this difficult time. We have been operating throughout the movement restriction period for more than a year, and will continue our business operations with the strictest SOPs. If you would like to find out more about the DO’s and DON’Ts of moving office during pandemic, contact us.