Worker Productivity Increases Nearly 25 Percent With Plantronics Headset Use Independent Study Shows How Headsets Can Help Organizations Quickly and Cost-Effectively Increase Contribution to the Bottom Line SANTA CRUZ, Calif., Sept. 2 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Knowledge workers that used Plantronics communications headsets experienced a 23.5 percent average increase in productivity and a 25 percent reduction in discomfort, as measured in an independent study(1) conducted by E3 Consulting. The results of the study underscore the important role headsets can play in organizations by giving employees tools to help them communicate more comfortably and naturally, which in turn helps boost their efficiency, productivity and contribution to the bottom line. The study, commissioned by Plantronics, Inc., provided quantitative evidence that headsets can help knowledge workers gain and sustain productivity over time. It observed loan processors at Irwin Mortgage Corporation as they conducted normal business over a 90-day period(2). A test group wore headsets and a control group did not. After wearing the headsets for 90 days, the test group increased the number of loans it closed by an average of 23.5 percent compared to the control group in the same 90-day period. "The results of this study provide hard data to support what we all intuitively believe -- headsets are good for business," said Stephen Denny, vice president of channel marketing for Plantronics. "Headsets benefit businesses and employees because they provide a more natural and comfortable way to communicate, and that helps workers get more done." The study also demonstrated that headsets significantly contribute to a decline in back, neck and shoulder discomfort, which can translate into a reduction in sick days. In fact, 67 percent of the members in the test group reported at least some decrease in the severity of neck, back and shoulder discomfort from what they had previously experienced while using the phone. On average, the group reported a 25 percent decrease in discomfort while wearing a headset. About Plantronics Plantronics introduced the first lightweight communications headset in 1962 and is recognized as the world leader in communications headsets. A publicly held company with approximately 4,000 employees, Plantronics is the leading provider of headsets to telephone companies and the business community worldwide. Plantronics headsets are also used widely in many Fortune 500 corporations and have been featured in numerous motion pictures and high-profile events, including Neil Armstrong's historic "One small step for man" transmission from the moon in 1969. Plantronics, Inc., headquartered in Santa Cruz, California, was founded in 1961 and maintains offices in 19 countries. Plantronics products are sold and supported through a worldwide network of authorized Plantronics marketing partners. Information about the company and its products can be found at http://www.plantronics.com/ or by calling 800-544-4660. (1) Knowledge Networks, a marketing research company headquartered in Menlo Park, CA, audited the statistical validity of the completed study. (2) Irwin Mortgage is a national company with 3,500 employees and 150 offices. It services more than ten billion dollars worth of residential loans per year. Any product testimonials herein reflect only the actual experience of the individuals studied, are anecdotal only, and are not a guarantee of anyone else's results or success. The productivity gains presented herein are not necessarily representative of productivity gains that users can or will experience using headsets. These figures should not be considered as guarantees or projections of your actual benefits. Any such representation or guarantee would be misleading. NOTE: Plantronics, and Plantronics and the logo design combined, are trademarks or registered trademarks of Plantronics Inc. All other products or service names mentioned herein are trademarks of their respective owners. CONTACT: Rachel Shelton of Porter Novelli, +1-408-571-2349, or , for Plantronics, Inc. DATASOURCE: Plantronics, Inc. CONTACT: Rachel Shelton of Porter Novelli, +1-408-571-2349, or , for Plantronics, Inc. Web site: http://www.plantronics.com/

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