Opening date

Your opening date is when employees are expected to show up and start using the office. It’s the fixed point the rest of the plan works backward from.

Why you care: the opening date defines what “ready” has to mean and by when. It’s also the date you protect above all others in your status updates — leadership mainly wants to know whether it’s safe. If the opening date is firm (an all-hands, a client visit, a lease trigger), say so loudly; if there’s flex, know how much.

Pair it with your access date: the gap between them is your runway, and it’s what the 30-Day Plan helps you spend in the right order.

Where it shows up: Project Control, Employee Comms & Experience.