How a US Government Agency reduced interruptions and protected focus for 18,000 employees
Industry:
Government
Team size:
18,000 users
Rollout approach:
Pilot first, then organisation-wide deployment
Platform:
Microsoft Teams
Fewer interruptions.
Clearer signals made it easier to protect focus time without seeming unapproachable.
Smoother collaboration.
Less guesswork around availability meant fewer delays and faster answers.
Higher satisfaction.
Employees gained more control over the workday, with less stress in open-office environments.
“If availability is mostly guesswork, interruptions become the default. A simple visual signal changes that fast.”
01 – The situation
Open-office speed. Low visibility into availability.
An open-office environment made it hard for people to protect focus time without sounding unapproachable. Teams were moving fast, but availability was unclear. “Just a quick question” became the default, and focus time became harder to defend.
02 – The problem
Interruptions stacked up into delays and frustration.
Small interruptions pulled employees out of deep work repeatedly. Over time, the cost showed up as slower progress, avoidable miscommunication, and a more stressful workday.
Interruptions became the norm
Open-office dynamics made it easy to approach someone. People were accessible by default, even when they were in deep work.
Availability was hard to read
Hybrid-style working patterns meant some colleagues were in calls or meetings while others were not. Without a clear signal, timing became guesswork.
03 – The solution
Instant clarity at the desk. No friction. No heavy training.
Visual availability indicator
kuando Busylight made “available,” “busy,” and “do not disturb” visible at a glance. No tapping shoulders, no repeated follow-ups.
Protect focus without sounding unapproachable
Employees could signal status clearly without having to explain, defend, or interrupt their own work to manage interruptions.
Built for scale
A simple, consistent signal helped teams align quickly. The agency could deploy it broadly without adding complexity to daily operations.
kuando® Busylight
| Connection | USB |
| Platform | Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Cisco +40 |
| Setup time | Under 2 minutes |
| Deployment ready | Mass deployment via MSI |
“We didn’t want a solution that policed people.
We wanted one that improved collaboration by making availability visible.”
04 – Rollout
How it was deployed
Pilot first. Confirm behavior change. Then scale with simple norms.
01
Pilot to confirm fit
The agency started with a pilot to validate adoption, usage patterns, and real workplace impact.
02
Structured rollout at scale
After proof of value, deployment expanded across the organization with a consistent approach that worked for thousands of employees.
03
Lightweight rules of use
Simple shared norms ensured the signal stayed consistent and trusted. Teams adopted it without disruption or heavy training.
05 – RESULTS
What changed across 18,000 desks
Call and focus time protected
Employees experienced fewer interruptions. Focus time became easier to maintain, without creating distance between colleagues.
Smoother collaboration
Clearer availability reduced guesswork, cut delays, and improved day-to-day coordination.
Higher employee satisfaction
More control over the work environment led to lower stress and a better workplace experience.
If interruptions are the norm and availability is mostly guesswork, a visual status system is one of the fastest ways to reduce friction.
Start with a pilot, agree simple norms, then scale. That’s how you make presence awareness stick across a large organization.
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Busylight.com is the sales and marketing department for Plenom A/S, the creator of Kuando Busylight.
Our mission is to increase awareness of Kuando Busylight products, ensuring workplaces worldwide understand the significance and value of implementing our products in the office environment.
We take pride in our products and enjoy inspiring our customers to explore and make use of the diverse features that these small indicator lights offer.