How a US Government Agency reduced interruptions and protected focus for 18,000 employees

The situation

An open-office environment made it hard for people to protect focus time without sounding unapproachable. Teams were moving fast, but availability was unclear and “just a quick question” became the default.

The problem in human terms

Employees were getting pulled out of deep work repeatedly. Small interruptions stacked up into delays, frustration, and avoidable miscommunication.

The constraints

• Noise and open-office dynamics: Visibility and accessibility worked against concentration.

• Hybrid-style working patterns: Some colleagues were in calls or meetings, others were not. It was hard to tell.

• Leadership buy-in: Any solution needed to improve collaboration without adding friction or policing behavior.

• Operational scale: It had to work for thousands of employees, not just one team.

The solution

The agency implemented kuando Busylight visual indicators to make availability instantly clear at the desk. Busylight became a simple part of the daily workflow. It helped employees signal “available,” “busy,” and “do not disturb” without interrupting meetings or deep work.

Rollout

• Started with a pilot to confirm fit, usage, and behavior change

• Expanded via a structured rollout across the organization

• Established lightweight rules of use so the signal stayed consistent and trusted

• Enabled teams to adopt the tool without heavy training or disruption

Results

After deployment, the agency saw clear improvements across the workplace experience:

• Increase in productivity: fewer interruptions and smoother workflows

• Stronger collaboration: visibility into availability improved teamwork and reduced delays

• Improved employee satisfaction: greater control over the work environment and less stress

What they would tell another buyer

If interruptions are the norm and “availability” is mostly guesswork, a visual status system is one of the fastest ways to reduce friction. The key is piloting first, agreeing simple norms, then scaling.