BT Partners with Cisco on Workplace Efficiency Initiative

BT is one of the world’s major communication services providers and among the UK’s largest employers. 

As such, the company has a large, nationwide footprint. This means the way it designs, uses and manages its buildings carries long-term implications for its environmental goals.

By rethinking space and adopting smart technologies through the Better Workplace programme, BT is addressing this challenge and transforming into a modern, flexible and lower-carbon business.

Cisco infrastructure to support BT buildouts

The programme is also addressing BT's environmental targets by reducing the company's physical footprint and implementing smart building technologies across its remaining locations.

Its new London headquarters at One Braham serves as a model for the programme, housing 3,500 employees who rotate between home and office under the company's hybrid working model.

Teams are organised into functional ‘neighbourhoods’ within the building, creating operational efficiencies while maintaining departmental cohesion.

“Having a great colleague experience is important to us. It will allow us to learn, grow and remain relevant,” Colin adds.

The building infrastructure relies on Cisco technologies including Catalyst Center, Spaces, ISE, Umbrella and ThousandEyes to manage network security, spatial usage and building automation.

Likewise, Cisco Spaces and Kontact IO sensors provide building managers with occupancy data, meeting patterns and traffic trends, allowing for adjustments to cleaning schedules and room utilisation. The overall plan is to test and refine new ideas in smart building design, from energy use to air quality, which could ultimately benefit BT and its customers.

“CX is instrumental in helping us get the most out of the Cisco components, whether that is lifecycle management, user adoption or network design,” Colin says.

Supporting sustainable hybrid working

The Cisco Catalyst Center platform contributes to energy consumption reduction by automating network functions and using artificial intelligence to adjust systems during periods of low usage.

These tools enable BT to manage each floor and location with precision, reducing waste and emissions across the building portfolio.

“It is the heart and intelligence of the building,” Colin explains. “The engagement with Cisco creates repeatable designs and methodologies.”

Employee mobility stands as a central feature of the new workspace design. At One Braham, staff can work from any location within the building, with meeting rooms and hot desks booked through a mobile application that also displays colleague locations.

This approach supports hybrid working while maximising building utility and minimising energy consumption from unused spaces.

“A brilliant user experience is key to building trust and, as a service business, trust is supremely important,” says Colin.

The digital infrastructure creates what Colin describes as a “near digital twin” of each employee, using Cisco Umbrella and ThousandEyes to continuously monitor and prepare the network for use.

This ensures systems function efficiently when people arrive, avoiding wasted energy or downtime that could impact productivity.

“What we wanted was a persona-based design rather than a set of custom configurations,” explains Colin. “The Cisco approach establishes finely grained access control, linked to an identity, with a security wrap. We are using Umbrella and ThousandEyes to create a near digital twin for each employee.”

The system performs continuous network health checks to ensure readiness for users entering the building. 

“It means we're able to constantly health check the network, so when users come into the building it's fully fit and ready to go,” he adds.

Following the pandemic, BT has focused on creating office environments that encourage staff to return for collaboration and connection rather than routine work. The programme seeks to advance the company's sustainability objectives and demonstrate practical applications for customers across sectors.

“This is a journey without an end. The finish line keeps moving forward. We're in lockstep with Cisco on that journey,” Colin says. “We want to continue to grow and innovate together.”

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