Poly's new white paper brings together thought leadership for what it calls the "Next Normal," which puts people first, to empower them in productive work environments — wherever the physical space may be. According to Poly, "2020 will be the catalyst for hybrid working, offering employees flexibility and choice, driving productivity through collaboration and communication." Basically, creating environments that foster productivity, collaboration, innovation and safety.

The digital transformation ensures consistent work experiences that will react to the crisis and mitigate any harm to the business.

Policies and procedures that support both the business and individual, in a "People First" culture as Poly calls it, will prove to be mutually beneficial.


Interestingly, Poly found that 85% of businesses surveyed believe that greater location flexibility has lead to an increase in productivity.

What can we expect in the "Next Normal?"

• Home office spaces built into residences
• Increased flexible work across locations
• Recruitment over larger demographic (and perhaps geographic) areas
• Work from home, meet in the office, bringing everyone together virtually
• Smaller company footprints over more dispersed locations
• Seamless work flows between home and office
• Technology designed for ease of use with personal devices
• Necessary business travel only

The only certainty? The core components of any organization: practices, workspace, and culture, will change as we transition into the "next normal." This won't be easy, but evolving to suit the needs of people and organizations will be worth it.

For more information about Hybrid Working, read Hybrid Working: Creating the "Next Normal" in Work Practices, Spaces and Culture, a resource from Poly.

If you need communication tools to support your work style, reach out to our Headset Experts at 1-866-998-9991 or Chat us now!

We are moving to a work-from-home situation across the world. For those who haven't set up a home office yet, here are our suggestions for a productive space to work during this modern-day pandemic.

The best option for home work is to close yourself off in a dedicated office space, or a quiet out-of-the-way bedroom. If you have younger children who need you near, you may be working in the middle of the family at the kitchen table. In either situation, a headset with a noise-canceling microphone is a must! We offer headsets with both noise-canceling and ultra noise-canceling microphones, for extreme noise cancellation.

We recommend an Active Noise Canceling headset for complete concentration, and with a variety of wearing styles and connection types, there's guaranteed to be a headset that works for you. The Jabra Evolve 80, pictured above, is a USB and 3.5mm headset with large ear cushions that completely surround the ear; and with ANC, and Busylights on the ear cups, it's a great choice for productive working and clear calls.

Other work at home tips:

•Don't sit in the same place all day. Get up and move! Wireless headsets let you walk and talk.
•Take a lunch break ... but don't extend it to all-day grazing. No need to gain weight in your comfies while you enjoy unlimited snacks from the pantry.
•Speaking of comfies, you may find that you accomplish more when you're not wearing pajamas or sweats. That's something you'll have to test for yourself.
•Take breaks ... but not too many. Turn off notifications for any non-essential tasks (such as social media) so you can focus on what needs to be done.
•When it's time to take a break, walk around outside for a few minutes. Get a change of scenery and clear your thoughts.
•Take advantage of collaboration tools and communicate with your co-workers regularly. A quick conversation can go a long way to building relationship, and don't forget to have team meetings to keep everyone connected and informed.

Take heart! This quarantine cannot last forever, and may provide you the time necessary for personal reflection and family connection that we typically don't get in our usual daily lives. And, once we get the "all-clear" to return to our work spaces, we go with the knowledge that we can conquer anything! (And now have a GREAT headset to work with!)

Call or Chat us now for recommendations! We are your Headset Experts.

Dispatchers are the unsung heroes in the law enforcement field: keeping their cool in high stress situations while communicating clearly with callers, officers, and more. The equipment must be dependable, and headsets that can toggle between the radio and the telephone keep the focus on the conversation.
Plantronics is a leader in emergency responder telecommunications equipment, and designs headsets for demanding environments. Their expertise ensures that every product built meets the highest standards of quality and reliability. These devices connect to radio systems, are comfortable enough to wear for an entire shift, and offer premium sound for clear conversations.

Plantronics makes a number of products for emergency dispatchers that are compatible with nearly every major radio console. These pieces are necessary to connect to a dispatch console: Push-to-Talk amplifiers and headsets.

Push to Talk options:

The SHS1890 has a Push To Talk button that allows you to switch between radio and telephone, with proper configuration of the console. There are three choices of cord length:

• SHS1890-10 10-foot coil cord

• SHS1890-15 15-foot coil cord

• SHS1890-25 25-foot coil cord

The CA12CD is a cordless PTT (push-to-talk) headset adapter designed to provide encrypted communications and PTT functionality for applications such as Public Safety Dispatch and Air Traffic Control. The CA12CD uses digital processing (DECT standard) and operates in the UPCS band (1.92 – 1.93 GHz) in North America. If you'd prefer a wireless solution, the CA12CD-S offers a portable remote unit, with belt clip. It comes with two battery packs and two recharging wells: One for the remote unit and one for the spare battery — allow for 24/7 operation. Volume can be controlled on the CA12CD-S.

Headset options:

Plantronics headsets, including the EncorePro series and StarSet, are great headsets for dispatchers. The standard EncorePro 500 headsets includes the EncorePro 510 mono; EncorePro 520 duo; EncorePro 530 ear hook; and EncorePro 540 convertible. The lightweight headsets are constructed with aircraft-grade aluminum joints, yet are sturdy, thanks to laser-welded construction. The noise-canceling mic boom arm is flexible and adjustable to ensure proper placement.

EncorePro 700 headsets are the premium variant in the EncorePro series, which Plantronics calls "the thoroughbred of headsets." In fact, a review on the Plantronics web site from a dispatcher confirms this is a great headset for the job, giving the headset 5 out of 5 stars: "This is the most comfortable & clear sounding headset I have every [sic] had. I've been dispatching for 17 yrs and I love this headset." Leatherette ear cushions, a unique extendable mic boom, and a slim, stylish, elegant design are all reasons to choose EncorePro 700 headsets, either mono or duo ear.

StarSet H31CD features a unique design, for an extremely lightweight solution. The eartip is inserted in the ear canal, and headset rests behind the ear. The voice tube microphone boom is not noise canceling; extremely busy and noisy dispatch centers will want to use a different headset with a noise-canceling microphone. A review from a dispatcher on the Plantronics site confirms its usefulness: "I have been using this headset for nearly 10 years as a 911 operator; Clear and great tone."

Public Sector Discounts from Poly are available now through September 30, 2020. These incredible discounts on most Plantronics products are available to all State, City, County and Local Governments. Contact us today for your pricing: 1-866-998-9991 or Chat us now!

When we're in the office, most of us take calls on our desk phones, mobile phones, and various PC/Mac soft phones. We need our headset to easily support all of those connections. Plantronics, now Poly has answered this need with the new Voyager Office series.

“Open office floor plans require a certain amount of flexibility and mobility of employees,” said Tamara Lane, director of product marketing, at Poly. “To escape noise and distraction, you might duck into a huddle room for a call, take your next meeting in the lobby or join a meeting from someone else’s office which means you not only use a desk phone but a PC or Mac and your smartphone for collaboration. The Voyager Office Series delivers high-quality audio in a comfortable headset that performs in all of those scenarios.”

Wearing Styles
The Voyager 4200 Office Series offers an over-the-ear, hi-fi stereo and mono headband wearing style. The Voyager 5200 Office Series offers a sleek and discreet over the ear wearing style for those working on the go in and out of the office. Both the Voyager 4200 and Voyager 5200 Office Series come with the option of a one-way desk phone only or two-way desk phone and PC/Mac office base, in addition to a mobile phone. The headset connects directly to mobile phone via Bluetooth, so this is an office wireless headset you can use without the base, ANYWHERE! And, thanks to Bluetooth 5.0 with BLE, roaming range for these headsets is up to 300 feet (dependent upon environment), and talk time is up to 12 hours!

The Voyager 4200 and Voyager 5200 Office Series have a version available with a dedicated Microsoft Teams button, both on the base and the headset, to instantly invoke the Teams app. This instant access to the Teams app makes scheduling a meeting, starting a call, or checking the calendar easy. The Teams versions also provide audio and visual alerts when a Teams notification occurs. The Voyager Office Series headsets are also supported by Zoom and other UC platforms.

Amazon Alexa and Tile Built-In Support
The Voyager 4200 and 5200 Series headsets also feature Amazon Alexa Built-In and Tile integrations. Just tap-and-ask, and Alexa will respond so you can focus on your tasks at hand. Tile is integrated right into the headset which makes finding your Voyager headset easy – you can literally “ring” it.

Control Calls and Media from the Headset
It's easy to manage calls and media directly on these headsets. Features include: Call answer/ignore/end, redial, mute, volume + /-. Media controls are track forward/track back/pause/play.

Voyager Office headsets are available in both USB-A and USB-C variants. Here's the complete product listing.

Headset	Part Number	MSRP
Voyager 4210 1 way base	212720-01	$279.95
Voyager 4210 2 way base USB-A	212730-01	$299.95
Voyager 4210 2 way base USB-C	214591-01	$299.95
Voyager 4210 2 way base USB-A for Teams	214002-01	$299.95
Voyager 4210 2 way base USB-C for Teams	214601-01	$299.95
Voyager 4220 1 way base	212721-01	$299.95
Voyager 4220 2 way base USB-A	212731-01	$319.95
Voyager 4220 2 way base USB-C	214592-01	$319.95
Voyager 4220 2 way base USB-A for Teams	214003-01	$319.95
Voyager 4220 2 way base USB-C for Teams	214602-01	$319.95
Voyager 5200 1 way base	212722-01	$279.95
Voyager 5200 2 way base USB-A	212732-01	$299.95
Voyager 5200 2 way base USB-C	214593-01	$299.95
Voyager 5200 2 way base USB-A for Teams	214004-01	$299.95
Voyager 5200 2 way base USB-C for Teams	214603-01	$299.95

Can't decide? Call our Headset Experts at 1-866-998-9991, or Chat us now!

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