About Headsets

HEADSETS

There are many benefits of using a headset, the most important being the health benefits but the others are productivity, flexibility, mobility, comfort and freedom.

Using a headset reduces the pain in the neck, shoulder & back areas by helping to develop the correct posture.

Phone neck is a repetitive strain injury & is caused by the user placing the phone in between their shoulder & their head.  This puts strain on their neck & causes tissues in the neck to compress.

Employees that use the phone heavily are high risk.

When using the headset it can:

Increase productivity & help make fewer mistakes

Helps improve employee morale

Is more hygienic

Helps reduce back pain

Helps reduce neck pain

PHONE HYGIENE

Phones can be a breeding ground for contagious germs.  Poor hygiene can be the cause for illness, resulting in employees being off work.

These germs can also breed on headset voice tubes & the foam ear cushions, but these are cheaper to replace than handsets.  This means that headsets are the healthier option.  To increase sanitation levels voice tubes & ear cushions must be replaced on a regular basis.  If they are not replaced not only is it unhygienic but can cause volume levels to be lowered for the headset wearer & caller as the voice tubes can be blocked by food, dust & even make-up.

HEADSET TYPE

Whether you use a headset with 1 ear piece or 2 ear pieces, there is no difference in the impact of hearing. 

In noisy work environments such as call centres, a binaural headset which has two ear pieces helps drown out the background noise.

If you need to be able to listen to your work surroundings & have conversations & do not want to be constantly removing your headset, then a monaural headset which has one ear piece is more appropriate.

HEADSET HYGIENE

Headsets must be issued to each individual.

Every 3 months the ear cushions & voice tubes must be replaced.

Employees must be trained in the correct hygiene procedures for headsets (to reduce the risk of ear infections)

Bits of food can become blocked in voice tubes even when not wearing the headset – employees ideally should not eat at their desks.

Anti-bacterial wipes should be use on the non-porous surfaces i.e. noise cancelling booms.  Do not use on the microphone. 

When the headset is not in use then it should be stored carefully in the protective bag provided, a headset stand or on the desk hook.