Working from home can be a challenge: maybe you have a spouse or roommates who also work from home; children at home doing on-line schooling; perhaps your pets are noisy. Whatever environment you have been working in, we know it can be a challenge to concentrate and focus on work tasks. That's why we suggest a high quality, professional headset designed specifically for workers who need to be on calls or in meetings using their computer, and require a distraction-free environment.

The Poly Blackwire 8225 meets these needs, and brings some hard-hitting technology to the table:

• Advanced Hybrid ANC using four digital microphones with three user selectable options (Off - Mid - High)
• Noise canceling microphone with Acoustic Fence technology (using 2 microphones) that meets Microsoft Teams Open Office-certification levels
• Hearing protection: SoundGuard DIGITAL: Acoustic limiting for protection against sounds above 118 dBA. G616 anti-startle protection limits the noise level to 102 dBSPL; Time-Weighted Average prevents average daily noise exposure from exceeding 80 or 85 dBA (enabled by Plantronics Hub software)

Other features we really like:

• 32mm speakers with large memory foam leatherette ear cushions

• Padded headband

• Two LED indicators on speaker housing show online/in a call status

• Call controller for volume maximum/minimum, mute on/mute off, answer/end call, noise canceling off/mid/high

• 7.2 ft cable

The included carry case protects your headset while you're transitioning from home to office, and everywhere in between.

There are four options to choose from, either USB-A or USB-C, and UC or Certified for Microsoft Teams variants. To decide which variant you need, read this blog post.

Blackwire 8225 USB-A
Blackwire 8225-M USB-A certified for Microsoft Teams
Blackwire 8225 USB-C
Blackwire 8225-M USB-C certified for Microsoft Teams

Call our Headset Experts at 1-866-998-9991, or Chat us now, to purchase a Blackwire 8225 headset, and watch our overview of the Blackwire 8225, including a side-by-side Acoustic Fence Technology audio test at 1:31.

99% of workers in open offices are distracted.*

Who wouldn’t be, with daily mayhem coming from every direction? Luckily there are plenty of high quality headsets from Poly that are designed to avert open office perils and combat the chaos.

Give your teams the perfect balance of Active Noise Canceling (ANC): not too much to be uncomfortable, not too little to let noise sneak in. Noise blocking microphone technology, too. So people on both ends of a call can hear what matters. Count on all-day comfort, thanks to premium, lightweight materials. And a range of styles that work for everyone in the office.

ANC Headsets from Plantronics, now Poly

Voyager 8200 UC (pictured above) has a boomless mic design, adjustable ANC levels, connects to mobile via Bluetooth, and offers a choice of USB adapter to connect to PC: either USB-A or USB-C. The ear speakers completely surround the ear. Choose between two colors: Black or White. MSRP: $379.95.

Voyager Focus UC is comfort+: the adjustable sling cushioned metal headband and leatherette ear cushions wrapped around pillow-soft memory foam maintains a secure fit. Available with a desktop charge stand, or without, and USB-A or USB-C. MSRP varies: $279.95 No Stand; $299.95 With Stand.

Voyager 6200 UC features earbuds on a neckband; wear both earbuds for complete concentration, thanks to ANC, or just one, to keep an ear on the surrounding office. The neckband vibrates as an incoming call alert. Two color choices: Black and Sand; and USB-A and USB-C adapters are available. MSRP is $299.95.

Finally, if your team is primarily desk-bound, and prefer a corded ANC headset, Blackwire 7225 headsets have a boomless mic design with the call controls on the ear speakers. Blackwire 7225 headsets are available in Black and White, and USB-A and USB-C. MSRP: $199.95.

If your teams are struggling to tune out the chaos of an open office — whether it’s scooter rallies or loud talkers or ice chewers — distractions make it almost impossible for people to stay focused. Time to bring productivity back.

Ready to reduce interruptions and boost productivity? Download the ebook from Poly, here: Perils of the Open Office Ebook and then contact us today for personalized headset solutions: 1-866-998-9991.

*“All Your Employees Are Distracted: The Realities of Today’s Open Office and What You Can Do About It,” by Future Workplace, April 2019, sponsored by Poly

Tough work environments require tough headsets

High-noise work environments can be intense. Whether it’s driving down the road in an 18-wheeler or working in a noisy warehouse – and other similarly loud environments – error-free communication and collaboration is challenging. Most of us are faced with colleague interruptions that impact productivity, but workers in high-noise environments are also faced with interruptions from equipment, or unconventional surroundings. Safety regulations in the workplace are progressively more restrictive and workers in high-noise environments have indicated that easy, hands-free group communication is of the utmost importance.

BlueParrott mobility-focused headsets are solving these challenges for people in a variety of industries: professional drivers, utility technicians, retail floor help, hotel housekeepers and concierge staff, and warehouse order pickers. BlueParrott, a leader in intelligent and rugged headsets, offers microphones with unrivaled noise-cancelling technology and deliver superior call quality in high-noise environments. These headsets connect to rugged smartphones, tablets and mobile computers, land mobile radios, handheld scanners, and other mobile devices.

Professional Truck Drivers

Professional truck drivers have preferred BlueParrott headsets for years. Strong and stable enough for life on the road, the wireless Bluetooth headsets feature long battery life and up to 24 hours of talk time (depending upon the headset). With hands-free call and text bans in effect around the U.S., drivers of all kinds – from local delivery drivers to Over-the-Road truckers – must use headsets for communicating.

Some of the top choices for drivers are B450-XT, B350-XT and the B250-XTS.

Another recommended headset is new to the market: the B550-XT, the world’s first 100% hands-free headset. Simply by saying “Hello BlueParrott,” tell your headset to “Call” contacts within your phone’s Address Book. In addition, the C400-XT is a great choice for people who prefer a choice in wearing style: the C400-XT can be worn behind the neck (over the left or right ears), and over-the-head.

Field Service Workers

Construction workers, foremen, linemen, and others who work on job sites would all benefit from the use of these same headsets.

Retail and Hospitality Staff

The C400-XT is the perfect hands-free, Bluetooth-enabled headset for those who clean hotel rooms, concierge staff, and retail sales floor workers. Its discreet profile, and trio of wearing style options, offer some flexibility and customization.

Warehouse Operators and Order Pickers

The headset needed for these workers depends upon the picking device that’s being used, and so there are 2 categories for the warehouse worker: Corded or Bluetooth Wireless.

Corded headsets include the VR11, VR12, and VR12F, a freezer-rated headset for environments down to -22 degrees. These headsets have been “drop and tumble tested,” having been dropped 8.2 feet onto concrete across the operating temperature range, and tossed 500 times across approximately 3 feet for 1,000 hits.

If the connection type needed is Bluetooth, then these wireless headsets are recommended: B550-XT, B450-XT and C400-XT.

Supported by the latest in headset technology

Keep BlueParrott headsets updated (via USB) with the free software program, BlueParrott Updater. Install the BlueParrott Updater on your computer (either PC or Mac), and ensure your BlueParrott headset always has the latest features and functions. The BlueParrott Updater download is available free, here: BlueParrott Updater.

The BlueParrott App is available in Apple and Android versions, at no cost. If your headset has a Parrott Button, customize the operation of the Button within the app. The headset is configured out-of-the-box with the Parrott Button configured to mute, and will mute the microphone while both off or on a call.

There is a walkie-talkie feature as well. For all Parrott Button questions, refer to the Help page: Parrott Button How-To

Each headset is protected with a one-year warranty for peace of mind.

Contact our headset experts about BlueParrott headsets, today: 1-866-998-9991.

Do you work in an office where noise levels are similar to those in a crowded football stadium? From colleagues' reality TV discussions to personal phone calls and work-related chatter, noise is all too common in the pervasive open office plan. The open office was designed for collaboration, breaking down walls that could be barriers to information sharing. The unforseen consequences of this office design: a lack of privacy in a noisy, distracting environment.

Did you know that each distraction takes 23 minutes to recover from? This translates into thousands of lost hours each year at organizations, at a significant and costly impact.

In a new study commissioned by Plantronics, Oxford Economics found that 63 percent of employees say they lack quiet space for focused work, which has a negative effect on their productivity, satisfaction and well-being.

Other findings:
•Only 1 percent of employees say they can block out distractions in the office, without taking extra steps. This is a dramatic decline since this study was last done, in 2015; at that time, 20 percent of employees reported that they could block out distractions.
•96 percent of executives see employee productivity as critical to their financial performance, yet just 40 percent understand the link between noise, distraction and productivity.
•A mere 6 percent of executives report having equipped their office with noise mitigating features.
•Employees in the noisiest office environments are more likely to say they may leave their job in the next six months.

The open office plan is so pervasive that epidemic noise levels have now been reached worldwide, but is anyone paying attention? Executives, this is your wake-up call! It's time to fix the problem.

Contact us to learn how to navigate in noisy office environments (Here's a hint: headsets!).