Restacking is the process of reorganizing how teams, departments, or business units are distributed across an office building or portfolio. It involves reassessing floor plans, team adjacencies, and workspace allocations to better reflect the current needs of a business. In the context of Mapiq, restacking is closely tied to the idea of making smarter use of office space based on real-time data, behavior patterns, and evolving workplace strategies. Rather than relying on outdated seating charts or static occupancy plans, organizations can use restacking as a tool to align physical spaces with how people actually work.

With hybrid work, mergers, headcount shifts, or changes in collaboration styles, the original office layout can quickly become outdated. Restacking helps organizations adapt their space planning to support productivity, improve employee experience, and avoid unnecessary real estate costs, all while responding to real data on how space is used.

General Overview

Restacking is typically a large-scale workplace planning initiative. It can involve physically moving teams to different floors, reassigning desk neighborhoods, repurposing spaces (like converting unused meeting rooms into collaboration zones), or even consolidating entire departments to reduce the office footprint. It’s a strategic effort that brings together facility managers, real estate teams, HR, and sometimes leadership to create a workspace that reflects both business needs and employee behavior.

Traditionally, restacking might occur every few years in response to big changes, like a company acquisition or rapid growth. But with hybrid work and fluctuating office attendance, many organizations are exploring more frequent and flexible restacking processes. Instead of waiting for a major disruption, companies are now proactively reviewing their office layouts on a quarterly or even monthly basis.

In this more dynamic model, restacking becomes less about large one-time moves and more about continuous optimization. Mapiq supports this approach by providing real-time insights into space usage, occupancy trends, and employee behavior. This allows workplace teams to confidently identify when a restack might be necessary, and what changes would make the most impact.

Restacking Benefits

Restacking offers a number of tangible benefits for organizations, especially when it’s informed by reliable workplace data:

Improved space utilization

Restacking helps eliminate underused areas and make better use of high-demand spaces. For example, if data shows that one floor is consistently half-empty while another is overbooked, teams can be redistributed to create a more balanced office experience.

Better support for hybrid work

With flexible schedules, some teams may be in the office more often than others. Restacking allows companies to allocate desks, meeting rooms, and collaboration zones based on real attendance patterns, not just assumptions.

Cost control and real estate planning

By reducing wasted space or consolidating teams, restacking can help companies lower operational costs. In some cases, it can even lead to the release of entire floors or buildings.

Stronger team collaboration

Grouping teams by function or project focus, based on how they interact, can lead to smoother collaboration. For example, bringing product and marketing teams closer together might support faster alignment and decision-making.

Better employee experience

Restacking isn’t just about saving space, it’s about creating a workplace that matches how people prefer to work. Thoughtful restacks can reduce frustration, support focus, and help people feel more connected to their teams.  

5 Signs That You Need Restacking

Restacking is more of a strategic decision than a formula-driven one, but there are a few core metrics that signal when a restack might be needed or help measure its impact:

1. Average Utilization Rate

This metric reflects how much of your office space is actually in use during a typical day or week. A low average might suggest there’s an opportunity to consolidate or repurpose areas.

2. Peak Utilization

Looking at the highest levels of occupancy, by day, week, or floor, can show whether certain areas are overused or under pressure, while others are empty.

3. Desk-to-Employee Ratio

‍This helps gauge whether your workspace is aligned with current attendance trends. If your office operates with a hybrid schedule, you may need fewer desks per person, but in smarter configurations.

4. Floor-by-Floor Occupancy

Comparing different levels or zones can help identify imbalances and areas where a restack could help redistribute traffic or reduce congestion.

5. Booking and Check-In Data

‍Meeting room and desk booking systems provide granular data about which spaces are popular, ignored, or misused — insightful inputs for a restack plan.  

Challenges and Considerations

Restacking is not without its complexities. Several challenges often come into play:

• Even a well-intentioned restack can cause confusion or frustration if people feel their routines are being disrupted. Clear communication and involvement from employees can help reduce friction.
  A restack often requires change at multiple levels: team culture, desk ownership, access to amenities. Without a thoughtful rollout plan, adoption can stall.

• Older buildings may not be designed for flexible layouts or frequent reshuffling. Power outlets, ventilation, or network access might limit how space can be reconfigured.

• Some teams may prefer fixed seating, even if hybrid attendance doesn’t justify it. Balancing these preferences with efficient (and fair) use of space is a common challenge.

• Without accurate data on attendance, space use, or booking behavior, restacking decisions can end up being based on guesswork rather than reality.

• Restack requires coordination across multiple departments, along with time for planning, communication, and execution. It’s important to assess whether the potential gains justify the effort.  

Best Practices with Mapiq

Mapiq helps organizations plan and execute smarter restacks by turning real-time data into actionable insights. Here’s how:

Identify the right moment

Using occupancy and booking data, Mapiq surfaces when specific floors or spaces are consistently underused or overbooked. This helps pinpoint the ideal time for a restack.

Understand behavior, not just numbers

Mapiq shows how people move through spaces, not just when they enter or leave. This allows teams to see which areas foster collaboration, which are ignored, and how usage patterns change over time.

Create employee-friendly layouts

Restacks guided by data from Mapiq can prioritize employee needs, ensuring that popular areas remain accessible, that teams are grouped logically, and that transitions are communicated transparently.

Support ongoing adaptation

‍Mapiq makes it easy to track the results of a restack over time. Workplace teams can see if the new layout is working or if further adjustments are needed.

Collaborate across departments

‍With centralized dashboards, HR, facilities, and real estate teams can work from the same set of insights, helping coordinate decisions and avoid duplication.