Ask the Experts

For FMs, MAC is a natural part of our daily work tasks. Most every FM has had MAC projects that have gone astray. A new hire assigned to a certain workstation changes locations without informing the facilities team/IT team; a business unit relocates their team to another area without a work order. Incorrectly labeled equipment is often lost.

The list goes on. Organizations and industries have diverse MAC needs that can span across countries and continents. The constant strength is a strong MAC process and IT collaboration. Together these processes lead to a job well done, especially with today’s demands for flexible workspaces in a hybrid world.

MAC has its own lifecycle. Typically, it starts with a ticket request that can range from a new hire to an entire new layout project. Immediately the FM must recognize that IT is critical and must be considered throughout the process. In addition, the FM must physically walk the space and document every detail to make sure the plans and the actual layout match and future headcount projections. During these space walkthroughs it is quite informative to see how open space is used.

Communication is nonstop and critical with the managers, C-Suite and everyone involved in the MAC request. Once the space is confirmed, the FM checks back with the department that started the process and confirms that the space is doable. From there, the MAC process work begins. A schedule is set for the completion, and everything works around the achievement of that deadline. All along, the most important part of the process is to make sure IT is the FM’s partner, and that the furniture vendors can deliver on deadline as well. It takes a village working together to succeed, especially with today’s supply chain challenges.

Here's a story from software giant McAfee that could have created a big MAC dilemma. McAfee had outgrown its offices from day one and needed to find 200 new spaces for employees. Complicating matters McAfee used boomerang desks which are not space efficient. The MAC analysis involved walking 11 floors with CAD drawings and mapping out 200 new work spots. With the collaboration of furniture vendors and IT, the solution involved different sizes of desks and plugging them into different holes in the space layout, while ensuring everything was also within code. IT and FM checked their server rooms to ensure IT had enough room and could patch these desks into the network. Electrical feed was pulled from other adjacent desks. This solution held off increasing the need for additional space for two years

The MAC team provided space for 200 extra employees that, at the start, didn’t appear to have a place to work. The project was successful due to the support of the employees. Everyone understood and supported the desk solution.

Another MAC example involved an entire build-out of a new space for the engineering team. The project earned LEED Silver certification and won an award. The layout, ergonomic furniture, new lighting and comfort were recognized as a great utilization of space. MAC also established unique meeting spaces and conference rooms. Communication was made easy, which added to the creativity of the work product.

This is how MAC works: moving employees, adding new work areas by reconfiguring existing space, creating positive change to enhance productivity and well-being as a great place to work.

The MAC menu continues and there are so many categories to choose. Listed below are critical MAC timeline tasks:

• Business MAC request/ticket system

• IT/FM collaboration/partnership

• Business unit needs/requirements

• Analytical and strategic space planning (space planning technology system) serving needs of customers

• Space inventory

• Furniture inventory

• Project management

• Risk management

• SLA-service license agreements

• It takes a village – IT, movers, cable vendors, furniture installers, ergonomics, janitorial, e-waste/recycle

• Move processes

• Storage needs

• Asset management