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Headsets are now in everyday use in the workplace. They prevent RSI and
wireless models provide freedom to move around. Don’t forget however that
there is new EU legislation to deal with.
Nearly two years
after the
introduction of the
EU Noise at Work
legislation many
organisations in
the UK are still
baffled by the laws. A recent survey by
one of the main suppliers, GN,
revealed that barely 5 per cent of
organisations have a policy in place to
adhere to the law. A staggering 86 per
cent have not even considered putting
a policy in place, again highlighting
the complexities and ambiguity of the
law which is preventing compliance
with the directive.
GN puts this state of affairs down
to confusion and say “We know from
experience that contact centres across
the country want to comply with the
law but there is so much confusion
around the Noise at Work Legislation
that most companies don’t know where
to begin to put a policy in place and as
a result many simply don’t bother.”
The European Union Noise at Work Legislation was introduced in April 2006 to ensure that employees aren’t exposed to noise over 85db during an eight-hour work day. To adhere, organisations have to measure and monitor the ambient noise levels throughout their premises, sound levels both inside and outside the building as well as those transmitted via a phone line, ensuring that they are within the legal limit. |
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A classic headset for call centre
operations: Available in monaural and
binaural styles and a choice of voicetube
or high-performance, noisecancelling
microphone. This
monaural design features a t-pad
giving comfortable, natural support,
while the binaural features a single
cable design for increased comfort
and convenience. |
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There are so many different
sources of noise going on in a
workplace that it makes it practically
impossible to constantly measure the
noise levels, so it’s not surprising that
the GN survey found that only 5% of
companies have a policy in place and
that 86% have not considered putting a
policy in place.
To help contact centre managers
better understand and deal with the
Noise at Work Legislation, GN recently
partnered with the Acoustic Safety
Programme to provide an e-learning
programme on the law. The guide is designed to help managers understand
the law as well as giving practical
advice on how to set up a policy,
measure noise levels and manage the
noise-level on an ongoing basis |
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Compliance Tips. |
GN has identified eight top tips to help
contact centres become compliant with
the law:
Establish a corporate policy and
ensure that all staff regardless of
position are aware of the directive.
Carry out a programme of regular
audiometry to include pre-employment,
baseline and ongoing hearing tests.
Use soft materials as much as
possible. Special materials, often
available in ceilings can help to reduce
reverberation. Carpet, chairs with soft
seats and padded screens between
agents can also be effective noise
absorbers.
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Use compliant wired and wireless headsets when the phone usage is intense.
Educate agents on how to use their phone and headset properly. Introduce a training scheme where every new employee is shown how to increase and decrease the volume on their phone and adjust their headset accordingly.
Give agents a choice of headsets. Offer agents the opportunity to use either a mono or a duo headset particularly as a duo headset can offer agents additional protection.
Measure the ambient noise level regularly to ensure compliance
If in any doubt about the levels of noise in your contact centre ensure that agents work no more than eight hours in any shift.
The productivity benefits of using headsets in offices and SMEs are now well documented - after all, call centres and corporates have been reaping the hands-free, multi-tasking productivity benefits of headsets for many years. But what is not widely understood is that there are compelling health and safety benefits too. Surveys indicate that if any employee spends as little as two hours on the phone each day, using
a headset will significantly reduce the risk of RSI, lower back & neck pain, and tension headaches. And Health & Safety inspections in offices and SMEs increasingly raise this as a problem. |
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| Wireless headsets provide greater
freedom: This model lets you use your
phone whilst up to 50m from your desk,
with excellent all-day wearing
comfort. In noisier situations, the
binaural version is ideal to reduce
distractions, while both monaural and
binaural versions feature a noisecancelling
microphone which reduces
background noise so that you can be
clearly heard. |
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Headsets Defined |
Today, users have a wide range of
lightweight models to choose from and
one of the most popular types to
emerge over the last 12 months has
been the cordless headset. Comprising
a base station that connects to your
phone and acts as a charger for the
headset, these units provide the type of
freedom to move around the office
whilst holding a telephone
conversation that many executives like.
User features often include the ability
to answer a call ‘remotely’ by
activating a switch on the headset that
causes the call to be answered.
Headsets Defined
What are they? Headsets are telephone
replacements. They normally consist of
one (monaural) or two (binaural)
earpieces to hear calls and a boom
microphone through which to speak.
That’s it. Be prepared to replace
headsets every 18-24 months as they
wear out quicker than telephones as
their lightweight construction is
designed for comfort rather than
durability. Top of the range models are
now cordless to allow roaming.
Why use a telephone
headset?
1. Productivity - Allows you to work ‘hands free’ so that you can multi-task -
use your computer, find documents,
make notes, or move around - and so
get more done in a day without working
any harder.
2. Health & Safety - You work with your
head and spine in the correct position
for long-term comfort which reduces the
risk of RSI, lower back pain, neck pain
and tension headaches. And your time
on the phone is much less tiring.
Pricing: Basic models cost from
around £50 but typically you should be looking to spend £100-150 for a comfortable headset for regular wearers, Cost rise to £200-300 for top quality cordless models. |
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| If you are using a
mobile VoIP connections this
type of Bluetooth headset is ideal.
It combines all day wearing comfort,
superb audio quality and unique USB technology to
allow calls from PC and from mobile phones in the same
headset. This product also features WindSmart technology,
making conversations possible even in windy conditions. |
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