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Open-plan offices are great for collaboration – and distraction

How Bose Bluetooth® headphones for work can help you be more productive

If you’re reading this article at work, chances are you spend a lot of time in an open office. And even though we may be seated farther apart these days, a lot of the noises you hear don’t seem to stay distant enough. Which means you’re probably feeling like you can’t accomplish anything until Mikey gets off that loud sales call. Or until Amy and Chris stop giggling over that TV programme they’re both binge-watching. Or until a half-dozen other distractions stop distracting you.

While the upsides of open-plan offices are clear – collaboration, camaraderie, energy and, if you’re lucky, some natural light from that window far across the room – the downsides are clear too. In a 2018 study in the Journal of Environmental Psychology, researchers found that employees in open-plan offices were bothered by noise, including the conversations of their coworkers. This, in turn, led to an increase in worker stress and a decrease in their ability to collaborate. So if you feel like you’re avoiding Mikey, Amy and Chris at work, you probably are.

Of course, if you’re like most people, you can’t choose your own office plan. But you can choose how to work within it. The key to getting your work done is staying in a state of flow, especially by minimising interruptions while you move from task to task. Here’s how Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 with Bluetooth can help you do just that.

Start by putting them on first thing in the morning – wearing headphones signals that you’re trying to concentrate. Playing a favourite playlist can minimise the distractions of your noisy surroundings too (when you really need to focus, try familiar music with no vocals). Whatever you’re listening to, the active equalisation technology of Headphones 700 makes for a rich, immersive experience. Meanwhile, the headphones’ noise cancelling technology works so well in open-plan offices because it detects the noise surrounding you and emits an opposing electronic signal that effectively “cancels” it. 

Some interruptions are unavoidable, however. Like when your boss comes by to ask for your opinion. Or, better yet, when a coworker swings by to ask for your coffee order. Instead of that awkward, hurried fumble to remove your headphones, just switch to Conversation Mode. With a simple swipe of a finger across your earcup, you can discreetly switch from full noise cancellation to full transparency. This pauses your audio content and drops the noise cancelling level down to zero. As a result, you can hear the outside world as clearly as if you weren’t wearing headphones at all.

While Bose headphones are renowned for making your music sound great, Headphones 700 make your voice sound great too. (Your speaking voice, that is. When it comes to singing, you’re on your own.) When you need to make a phone call, microphones embedded in the earcups isolate your voice from office background noise – like Amy and Chris’s laughter – so the person you’re talking with will hear you loud and clear, and not them.

If you’re really serious about your conversations, consider Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 UC. They’re designed to help you work better, wherever you need to work (and these days, who isn’t working in unconventional ways?). Bundled with the Bose USB Link Bluetooth module, this special version of Headphones 700 delivers a convenient, pre-paired wireless experience for conference calls. Together, the headphones and module are Microsoft Teams-certified. They also work with Google Meet and are compatible with Zoom. So you can conduct meetings and collaborate with confidence.

Best of all, Headphones 700 are just one of the noise cancelling options we have. For an in-ear option, try our true wireless QuietComfort Earbuds II. Once you have the right noise cancelling Bluetooth headphones, you can go back to liking your coworkers, your job, and maybe even your open-plan office.

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What are headphones for work?

Headphones for work are headphones that are designed to help improve concentration and productivity while working, by providing high-quality sound and noise cancelling technology.

What features should I look for in headphones for work?

When choosing headphones for work, look for features such as noise cancellation, comfort, durability and a long battery life.

How can noise cancelling headphones be beneficial for work and conference calls?

Bose noise cancelling headphones and earbuds are great for conference calls and other work functions as they offer comfort and durability, and block out other noises. These features make it easy to focus on the tasks at hand and can be worn for hours without feelings of discomfort.

Are there wireless noise cancelling headphones for work?

Yes. Bose noise cancelling headphones are wireless with the convenience of Bluetooth connectivity.

Can noise cancelling headphones for work be used for travel?

Yes. Noise cancelling headphones for work are often ideal for travel as they can block out the sounds of an airplane or train engine.

How do I know if noise cancelling headphones for work are right for me?

If you work in a noisy environment and need to concentrate, noise cancelling headphones for work may be a good option to help reduce distractions and improve productivity.