Wednesday, July 8, 2015

"Is This the Party to Whom I'm Speaking?" Headsets: Functional and Useful or Status Symbols?


I have nothing against telephone headsets.  I think they serve a very useful function.  Sometimes.

Especially, if you're only answering phones all day, say at a switchboard.  Actually, do they even make "switchboards" these days?  I'm dating myself.  Yikes.

Anyway, for me, headsets don't make my life easier.  They are cumbersome as I'm constantly switching gears, multi-tasking, running to the printer, running to the mailroom, making lunch runs - you name it.  

Besides, they pull off your earrings.

Lately I've started to notice more and more people with headsets on at work, which has led me to believe that some, not all, but some of these folks are trying to look important.  Sort of a "status symbol," if you will.

When you're providing "assistance" to anywhere from 4 to 8 attorneys, how can you sit in the same spot all day with a headset on?  Practically speaking, it doesn't work.

From what I can tell, the busiest secretaries and assistants don't use them.  They're juggling several balls at once and need to keep their "ear to the ground," so to speak.

Do you headset?  If so, how's that working for you?  I'd love to hear.