How it works
The term comes from telecoms and IT, where it described moving, adding and changing phone lines and network ports. Workplace teams use it for the same kind of steady, small-scale change to seats and spaces. Some IT teams add an I for installs, giving IMAC.
Each type has its own trigger. A move relocates a person or team. An add brings a new occupant, usually a new hire or contractor, into a seat. A change updates a space or assignment without anyone relocating, such as turning assigned desks into bookable ones or resizing a neighborhood.
Requests come from managers, HR and facilities, are checked against the floor plan and capacity, then scheduled with IT, facilities and security. MAC work is complete only when every system of record reflects it: seat assignments, floor plans, booking rules, badge access and directory data.
How to measure it
- Count MAC requests per month by type to see where effort goes.
- Track churn rate and cost per move.
- Measure turnaround from request to completion.
- Audit a sample of desks against the floor plan to find records that were never updated.
Examples
- A team reorganizes into two squads: eight people move to a new neighborhood (moves), five new hires join (adds), and a row of assigned desks becomes bookable (a change).
- IT handles the laptop and phone part of a MAC ticket while facilities handles the furniture and the seat.
Common mistakes
- Handling each request by email with no shared queue.
- Closing tickets before the floor plan and booking system are updated.
- Treating MAC as occasional when in most organizations it is weekly work.
How Kadence helps
Kadence Move Manager (WorkOps Pro) handles new starters, leavers, ad-hoc seat assignments and team relocations, with recommendations, auto-assign and bulk uploads. With the HRIS integration, joiners and leavers arrive from Workday, BambooHR or HiBob, and editable floor plans (included with SpaceOps) let admins change layouts in the browser.
Move management software · SpaceOps · Pricing · For facilities teams
Frequently asked questions
What does MAC stand for in facilities management?
MAC stands for moves, adds and changes. Moves relocate people or teams, adds prepare space for new occupants, and changes update a workspace or assignment without relocating anyone. Together they describe the everyday change that keeps a workplace matched to the organization.
What is IMAC?
IMAC adds installs to moves, adds and changes. It is common in IT service management, where installing new hardware or software is tracked alongside moving and changing it. Workplace teams more often use MAC, and handle installs as part of adds.
Who handles moves, adds and changes?
Workplace operations or facilities usually owns the queue and the seating decisions. IT handles devices, phones and network access, security handles badges, and HR supplies joiners, leavers and team changes. Clear ownership of each step matters more than which team leads.
How do you track MAC work?
Use one queue for all requests, with a type, requester, date and status for each. Link each request to the seat or space it affects, and close it only when the floor plan, seat assignment and booking system are updated. Report volume and turnaround by type each month.
Related terms
- Moves Planned relocations of a person, team or department to a different seat, neighborhood, floor or building.
- Additions Preparing a seat, equipment, access and records for a new occupant such as a new hire, contractor or team.
- Changes Updates to a workspace, team area or setting that do not relocate the people assigned to it.
- Churn rate (move churn) The number of people moved in a year as a percentage of the population, a measure of how much physical change a workplace absorbs.
- Move management Planning, sequencing and carrying out workplace moves, from one desk change to a whole-team relocation.
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