How Microsoft reduced interruptions and helped employees control their time in a “workplace of the future”
Industry:
Technology
Team size:
850 users
Rollout approach:
Implemented as part of a new office move and Teams-enabled workplace setup
Platform:
Microsoft Teams
Fewer interruptions.
A visible status signal helped colleagues respect focus time in an open-office environment.
Higher productivity.
Less context switching reduced the drag of constant micro-interruptions.
Stronger Teams behaviour.
Presence and call alerts became physical, easier to notice, and harder to ignore.
“We need to reduce the interruptions employees experience every single day. Busylight helps people respect each other’s time.”
01 – The situation
A “workplace of the future” still needs focus protection.
Two Microsoft divisions in Denmark moved into a new office designed for flexibility and collaboration. It also came with open-office reality: 850 employees, 309 seats, and 230 meeting rooms. In that environment, people are constantly visible and constantly reachable. Great for ad-hoc collaboration. Brutal for deep work.
02 – The problem
When interruptions are constant, work becomes reactive.
Employees needed a simple way to protect deep work without appearing unhelpful. “Quick questions” quietly steal hours. Calls get missed. Teams lose flow. The cost isn’t just the interruption. It’s the time it takes to regain focus.
Focus time was hard to defend
In a highly social space, being visible often equals being interruptible. Deep work suffered unless there was a clear signal.
Teams cues were too easy to miss
Presence and call alerts needed to be noticed in the real workspace, not only on screen, if Teams behaviour was going to stick.
03 – The solution
Presence made physical. Clear signals. No awkward conversations.
Visual presence indicator
Busylight surfaced Teams presence in the physical space. “Busy,” “available,” and “do not disturb” became visible at a glance.
Non-verbal focus protection
Employees could signal status without policing behaviour or constantly explaining why they couldn’t be interrupted.
Call and message alerts you notice
Busylight delivered clear alerts for calls and messages. Employees didn’t have to rely on screen-only cues.
kuando® Busylight
| Connection | USB |
| Platform | Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Cisco +40 |
| Setup time | Under 2 minutes |
| Deployment ready | Mass deployment via MSI |
“Busylight is an excellent example of hardware that can improve adoption of Teams overall because you get a physical thing that shows if you are online or not.
And when you receive calls or instant messages, you get an alert in Busylight.”
04 – Rollout
How it was deployed
Built into the office move. Adopted quickly. Reinforced with simple etiquette.
01
Implemented with the office move
Busylight was deployed as part of the transition into the new building and the Teams-enabled workplace setup.
02
Adopted fast because it fits open-office behaviour
People saw the signal, understood it instantly, and adjusted naturally without training overhead.
03
Reinforced shared etiquette
If a colleague is occupied, you don’t interrupt. You time it better. The signal became a practical norm, not a policy.
05 – RESULTS
What changed across 850 desks
Interruptions reduced
Better respect for focus time in a highly collaborative environment, without meetings, policing, or reminders.
Employees regained control of time
Less context switching helped work stay proactive rather than reactive.
Teams adoption strengthened
Presence became tangible and call alerts became harder to miss. Teams behaviour became easier to sustain in daily life.
If you design a workplace for collaboration, you also need a system that protects concentration.
A visible presence signal is one of the simplest ways to create better etiquette without friction. It turns good intentions into an everyday habit.
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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.