How Cotive achieved 95% fewer interruptions with one clear signal
Industry:
Professional Services
Team size:
50+
Rollout approach:
Natural adoption in under a week, no training
Platform:
Microsoft Teams
95% fewer interruptions.
A clear red or green signal removed the guesswork in an open-plan and hybrid setup.
Adopted in under a week.
No new workflow, no culture program, no heavy change management.
Bought twice.
First for the team, then again as a gift to clients. A conviction signal, not just adoption.
“Due to the uncertainty that you would be approached, you are always passively vigilant to see if someone wants something.”
01 – The situation
Open-plan collaboration only works when availability is visible.
Cotive works like many modern teams: open-plan, collaborative, hybrid-friendly, and Teams-based. The challenge was simple but constant. Nobody could tell at a glance whether a colleague was in a call, deep in work, or free to talk. That uncertainty created interruptions and a low-level sense of always having to watch out.
02 – The problem
When everyone is guessing, no one can focus.
The workarounds were familiar. Headphones as an informal “do not disturb” sign. Calendar blocks nobody checked. Retreating to a meeting room just to get an hour of guaranteed focus. The underlying issue stayed the same: the office lacked a clear, shared signal.
Passive vigilance drained attention
Even when people weren’t interrupted, the uncertainty made them stay alert for potential interruptions, which reduced deep focus.
Unwanted interruptions kept happening
Mid-call walk-ups and “quick questions” broke focus because there was no reliable visual cue colleagues could trust.
03 – The solution
One light. Two states. Decisions made in one second.
Clear red and green status
Busylight made availability visible across the room. No app, no checking. One glance told colleagues whether to approach or come back later.
No workflow changes required
Cotive didn’t need a new process or a behaviour campaign. The signal was obvious. The etiquette followed naturally.
Works with Teams
The light reflected real availability in the physical workspace, especially during calls and focused work.
kuando® Busylight
| Connection | USB |
| Platform | Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Cisco +40 |
| Setup time | Under 2 minutes |
| Deployment ready | Mass deployment via MSI |
“The Busylight communicates with my colleagues for me, which allows me to devote my full attention to work or meetings.”
04 – Rollout
How it was deployed
Small setup choices. Fast buy-in. Natural adoption.
01
Settling-in week
The first days included practical decisions. Where to place the device, which colours to use, and a short round of healthy scepticism.
02
The moment it clicked
A colleague looked across the office. Flashing red light. Headset on. They turned around and came back later. No words, no awkward signals, no disruption.
03
Full adoption in under a week
Once the team saw the signal working in real moments, usage became automatic. No training required.
05 – RESULTS
What changed across the office
95% fewer unwanted interruptions
With a clear signal, colleagues stopped guessing. Focus stayed protected, and meetings stayed uninterrupted.
Deep work stayed deep
Less context switching and fewer mid-call walk-ups meant better flow and more productive hours.
A product they believed in enough to gift
In December 2025, Cotive purchased again. Not for internal use, but as a Christmas gift to clients, so customers could experience the same reduction in interruptions.
If your team is still guessing who’s available, give everyone a clear signal.
No apps, no training, no behaviour change campaigns. Just red and green. It works from day one.
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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.