Smart workspace: when is a workspace really smart?

"Smart workspace" is a term thrown around freely. On most landing pages it means nothing more than "laptop + Microsoft 365 + wifi". We see it differently. A workspace is only really smart when all the moving parts — cloud, M365, telephony, device management and security — operate as one integrated system instead of five tools sitting next to each other.

When is a workspace not smart?

We see this often at new customers who think "we have it all digital already". A few examples from practice:

• An employee unboxes a new laptop. IT spends 4 hours configuring it before it's usable. Device management isn't part of your workspace — you're doing it alongside it.
• The phone system runs separate from Teams. Someone calls reception; reception transfers to Pieter; Pieter works from home with Teams open but his desk phone is under the couch. Telephony and collaboration don't talk — they live next to each other.
• Customer files sit on SharePoint, the CRM on a different system, accounting on a third. The employee toggles three browser tabs all day to connect information. That's not a smart workspace, that's a tab-juggling lifestyle.
• MFA is enabled, but conditional access isn't configured. The director logs in from Vietnam without trouble — which you'd rather have known beforehand. Security is present, but doesn't follow your policy.

In all four scenarios each component on its own is fine. The problem is they don't cooperate.

What does integration actually change?

A properly designed smart workspace has the following traits:

One identity for everything. An employee signs in once in the morning (Microsoft Entra) and gets immediate access to their cloud desktop, M365 apps, phone, industry software, printer and even a printed name tag at reception. No separate passwords, no forgotten logins.

Devices that configure themselves. Through Microsoft Intune and Autopilot a laptop comes out of the box and automatically gets all apps, settings and security applied for that employee's role. IT never touches it; the employee is productive within 30 minutes.

Telephony as part of collaboration. Calling via Teams (or a dedicated platform like isaBEL) means an incoming call no longer goes "to the desk phone", but to the employee — wherever they are. Including call recording, IVR options and rota-based routing.

Security policy that follows you. Conditional access lets logging in from the Netherlands work without friction, requires extra MFA from abroad, and blocks suspicious locations entirely. Sensitivity labels keep client data out of the wrong Teams chat.

Centralised data, no tab stress. Industry software runs in the same cloud as the M365 workspace. A dental record, a legal case file, a construction quote — all from one sign-on, no VPN gymnastics.

How we approach this

We don't build a smart workspace by stacking products side by side. We do it in a fixed sequence:

1. Identity first. Microsoft Entra (Azure AD) becomes the source of truth for who is who and what they may do. Everything else hangs from it.
2. Cloud workspace or M365 as base. Depending on whether the customer runs heavy industry software (cloud workspace) or only needs M365 apps (Modern Workplace).
3. Device management via Intune + Autopilot. Laptops, phones and optionally desktops registered to the same identity.
4. Telephony integrated. Teams Phone or isaBEL — both speak the same Entra identity.
5. Security as a layer over the top. Conditional access, MFA via Duo, sensitivity labels, M365 backup — not as afterthought but as part of the design.

The good news: for customers with 15 to 100 workstations this is achievable within 4-8 weeks. No half-year strategic project.

When is a workspace truly smart?

Our test: ask any random employee how much time they lose on IT hassle per week. With a smart workspace the answer is "zero to ten minutes". No frozen programs, no waiting for a new laptop, no signing in three times a day, no "can you transfer me to..."

That's not a marketing promise — that's how it should work once all the pieces sit in one system.

Read more

• What is a cloud workspace? Explanation, benefits, cost and how to start
• Comparing online workspaces: cost, features and providers
• Outsourcing Microsoft 365 management
• Calling via Microsoft Teams