Phone headsets: the alternative to neck pain

From so-called "sick-building disease" to mousing-induced carpal tunnel syndrome, the modern-day office is not devoid of potential health problems.

Take the phone. In this era of multi-tasking, wedging a phone between your ear and shoulder for long stretches of time while you type, search for a document, or reach across your desk for a file can be-quite literally-a pain in the neck.

If you or your employees find yourselves frequently on the phone and in pain as a result, a telephone headset can spare you from a stiff neck and sore muscles. A relatively simple device, the headset does away with the need for any part of the body to support the clunky telephone receiver. Headsets allow you to talk on the phone hands-free, giving you the freedom to surf the Internet, take a sip of coffee, or shuffle through files easily and painlessly.

A headset consists of an earpiece, microphone, and a cord that plugs into an accompanying amplifier, which is plugged into the phone.While purchasing one may not seem like much of an ordeal, making sure it is actually worn is important. That is why the most important criteria in choosing a headset is comfort.

Quick tips

Try used. If headsets seem a little too pricey to you, refurbished models can be a good buy. You can find them for half the price of new models. Compare sound to regular phones. If you have a chance to test your headset before buying, have someone listen to you talking through the headset and then through a regular phone, and see how the sound compares. Look for twisted cords. Headsets with twisted cords will minimize clutter while allowing mobility, freeing you from being leashed too closely to your desk.

Most headsets are designed to be worn headband-style. These headsets typically cover one ear and extend over the head like a headband. If keeping your hair particularly unmussed is any sort of an issue, this type of headset probably isn't for you.