Office and business headsets

For most office calls, a headset with a boom microphone gives the clearest voice. Choose binaural (two ears) for open-plan floors and monaural (one ear) where you need to hear the room. Match the connection to your device: corded or DECT for a desk phone, USB or Bluetooth for a computer. If you use both, look for a DECT or Bluetooth model whose base or dongle connects to a phone and a PC.

Yes. We stock call centre headsets with noise-cancelling microphones from Jabra, Poly, EPOS and Project Telecom, in corded QD, USB and DECT wireless versions. Where agents sit close together, choose a noise-cancelling boom microphone, as it keeps nearby voices off the call. ANC ear cups help agents hear callers on a loud floor.

Choose one ear (monaural) if you need to hear people in the room, for example at reception or as a supervisor. Choose two ears (binaural) for a busy floor or long meetings, as it blocks more background noise and the caller is easier to follow. Convertible models can be worn either way.

Yes, when the headset suits the phone and you stay within range. DECT headsets use their own frequency band, separate from Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and have the longest indoor range, so they are the usual choice for desk phones. Bluetooth headsets have a shorter range and also connect to mobiles and PCs. To answer calls away from the desk, you need an EHS cable or handset lifter for your phone model.

A USB or Bluetooth headset with a boom microphone suits most home workers, as it connects straight to a laptop. If you use Microsoft Teams, a Teams-certified model has a dedicated Teams button. Set the headset as the default microphone and speaker in your call app, and check the setting after software updates. In a bare room, soft furnishings cut down echo.

Yes, with the right model. Some DECT headsets have a base station with a telephone port and a USB connection, so you can take desk phone and computer calls on one headset. Corded QD headsets move between devices when you change the bottom cord. Check that the product page lists your desk phone and USB support before you buy.

Start with compatibility: the headset must work with your desk phones, your softphone and your operating systems. Standardise on a small number of models, check that ear cushions and batteries are sold as spares, and find out how firmware is updated. Jabra, Poly and EPOS each have software for updating and configuring headsets centrally.

Yes, if you move around during calls or hot-desk. A Bluetooth or DECT headset lets you walk to a whiteboard or another room without dropping the call, and clears cables off the desk. The trade-off is charging and the occasional re-pairing. With softphones such as Teams, a Bluetooth headset with its own USB dongle usually connects more steadily than a laptop's built-in Bluetooth.

Stereo (binaural) usually works better in open-plan offices, because covering both ears blocks the chatter around you. Mono suits roles that need to hear the room, such as reception and team leaders. For larger orders, many businesses buy both styles so staff can use the one that fits their role.

For the person you are talking to, the noise-reducing microphone matters more. ANC in the ear cups changes what you hear and has no effect on what the caller hears. A noise-reducing microphone, usually two or more microphones with processing, filters background noise out of your voice before it is sent. If you work somewhere loud and also want to hear clearly, choose a headset with both.

A Quick Disconnect (QD) is a plug partway down a corded headset's lead that lets you unclip the headset without ending the call. The lower part, the bottom cord, connects to your phone or PC, so one headset works with different devices by swapping the bottom cord. Jabra, Poly and EPOS each use their own QD connector, so the bottom cord must match the headset brand.

You can if it connects to your computer and the microphone is clear, but most gaming headsets will not connect to a desk phone. Gaming headsets are tuned for game sound and music. Business headsets have microphones tuned for speech, call controls that work with Teams and desk phones, and certification for platforms such as Microsoft Teams and Zoom.

MS versions are certified for Microsoft Teams and usually have a Teams button that opens Teams or joins a meeting. UC versions are set up for other platforms such as Zoom, Webex and Avaya. Both work as standard USB audio devices, so a UC headset still works with Teams; the MS version adds the Teams controls and certification.