Why Headsets Remain Relevant Now We’re Back in the Office

Over the last year or so, a conversation has evolved about whether hybrid working, remote working or a full time return to the office is the right way to go when it comes to the post-covid workplace. Many have extolled the virtues of working fully remote or hybrid, but the office has its place too, with some remote workers now returning to the office due to feelings of isolation.

While a return to the office means desk-side chats once again become the norm, does this mean that headsets should be consigned to the ever growing pile of e-waste, or is the headset actually more relevant than ever?

Many Still Work Remotely

Though we may be returning to the office, not all of those around us will be doing the same. From colleagues to suppliers and customers, the people we deal with on a day to day basis may still spend some, or all of their working time outside of the office.

The result of this is that many of us will still be in regular contact with others through platforms like Microsoft Teams, Zoom or RingCentral, and no matter which of these platforms you use, a headset for your laptop or mobile will improve audio quality for all.

Lets face it, we’ve all been on video calls with people using cheap headphones with an inline microphone. Voices are often muffled, distorted and difficult to distinguish from the background noise, making a smooth conversation a real challenge.

Prevent Distractions

Being in the office can be great, an opportunity to see colleagues face to face, grabbing a chat over a coffee and someone cooking something awful in the microwave. But with all the activity comes the potential for distractions.

When you’re trying to make an important call to land that big new client, who wants to hear Sandra’s leaving speech in the background? Not you and certainly not your prospect or client on the other end of the call. Office headsets with noise cancelling microphones are the perfect answer, capable of providing an oasis of calm and quiet in an otherwise busy office.

Unified Communications

The idea of Unified Communications has been discussed in businesses for years, with many offices trying to make steps to a UC solution. From laptops to softphones, mobiles and other devices and software, users can now communicate in more ways than ever before.

Of course not all devices which are capable of communicating as part of a UC solution are built for doing so. Apart from a mobile phone, most devices, while able to relay and pick up audio, such as a laptop, don’t provide a great communication experience. Underpowered speakers and small hidden microphones in a noisy office mean users often turn to headphones, the majority of which were probably free with the latest mobile phone purchase.

As mentioned earlier, this doesn’t really improve the sound quality compared to the use of a bluetooth wireless headset which works across your softphone, mobile, laptop and more besides. One office headset provides a solution across all devices introducing improved calling experiences at every contact point.

Down-sized Offices

As people swiftly moved from working in the office to working from home during the 2 years of lockdowns caused by the Coronavirus pandemic, many businesses realised that they were paying for office space that they weren’t using. As work and revenue dried up businesses saw downsizing their office as an opportunity to reduce outgoings and possibly keep their company afloat.

With staff now choosing to return to the office and an economic crisis looming, companies may not be looking to invest in larger office spaces again and in the spirit of collaborative working have moved to reduce meeting room space.

This creates a problem in that quiet spaces for online meetings or conversations are at a premium. Again, we can see the continued relevance of the office headset, whether wired USB models or wireless Bluetooth models in this situation, as more of us are expected to conduct our conversations in busy spaces.

Are Headsets Still Relevant? Absolutely.

While some may think the advantages of a professional office headset are fewer than they used to be, the reality is that in most situations the benefits of a high quality headset outweigh any potential concerns about cost. In fact, we’ve looked at the business case for headsets in a previous post and there’s very little reason not to invest.

Features such as noise cancelling microphones mean far superior audio pickup compared to wireless headphones which have an integrated microphone, or wired headphones with an inline microphone.

Equip Your Office With the Right Headsets

If you’re struggling to decide on the right solution for your business, don’t be afraid to speak to an expert who knows what’s what. The JPL team is always on hand to support you in making the best decision for your business and are able to answer any questions you may have.