Speakerphones seem to be increasing in popularity in the workplace, and in case it’s not obvious, this is a bad thing. For the sake of sanity, let’s review the narrow set of conditions under which speakerphones are allowed. Note that both conditions must be met.
- You are in a fully-enclosed office or conference room.
- Two or more people need to speak on your end.
There are some rogue conditions floating around that are invalid. These include.
- I’m typing. – Stop and listen, or hang up.
- I’m very busy and/or important. – No, you’re not.
Simple huh? There is a small set of exceptions. (This list is exhaustive)
- You are juggling and on the verge of breaking a personal/world record.
- You are performing surgery.
- Your handset is broken and you are ordering a new one.
- Your ears are under some sort of medical duress and you are calling the doctor.