Many office workers sit in chairs that aren’t designed for their bodies. When they do so for extended periods, health problems may arise.
Comfortable office seating improves posture while minimizing pain, and ergonomic office chairs can boost productivity.
Business owners must recognize this when purchasing commercial furniture and invest in quality ergonomic chairs.
While the business must spend money on these furnishings, the return on investment ensures the seats pay for themselves.
Workers will be more relaxed and miss less time from work due to back pain.
How Do Ergonomic Chairs Differ From Regular Seats?
Ergonomic chairs have adjustable features to ensure every worker can find a comfortable position.
They are designed to improve posture and increase productivity. As people spend over 13 years of their lives in the workplace, office seating must be comfortable without harming their health. Ergonomic chairs achieve both goals.
The Benefits of Ergonomic Seating
Why should a company invest in ergonomic seating? What are the benefits of doing so?
Individuals need to know the answers to these questions and more to determine whether they should make this investment.
Most people will find that the purchase benefits their company in multiple ways.
Posture
Anyone who sits in a chair for extended hours regularly knows how uncomfortable it can be.
Their posture suffers when they have an uncomfortable chair that doesn’t fit their body.
One person might find their chair too short, while another may discover their feet don’t touch the floor when sitting in an office chair.
Ergonomic chairs ensure the seat back is the right height so the user won’t need to lean forward. They can also be adjusted to enhance posture.
Productivity
When a person has a comfortable chair with an ergonomic design, they become more productive.
Researchers have examined this topic and found that office seating impacts employee happiness and productivity.
Staff turnover decreases, so the company saves money on recruitment and onboarding.
Less Pain
Office workers with ergonomic chairs experience less back, neck, and hip pain.
Many people who sit all day often experience back and neck pain because their chairs don’t support the correct posture.
When they switch to an ergonomic chair, they can relax their bodies and experience less pain because pressure points receive proper support.
The hips hold the body’s weight. When a person has an ergonomic chair, they can adjust the seat depth to support the hips and reduce pressure to minimize pain.
Knee pain is also a problem for some office workers. This pain lessens or disappears completely when the knees align appropriately with the floor.
An ergonomic chair can be adjusted until the person finds the correct height to prevent knee pain.
Adjustability
Ergonomic chairs come with adjustable features to meet the user’s needs.
Every person is unique in shape and size, so conventional office chairs can often lead to health issues.
The employee can adjust ergonomic chairs until the chair fits them perfectly. Look for chairs that allow the seat height and depth to be adjusted along with the armrests and back recline.
Blood Circulation
Circulation conducted a study in 2010 that found people who sit for an hour are at higher risk of heart disease, depression, poor blood circulation, and back pain.
Individuals should adjust their position every 30 to 40 minutes to minimize their risk of these issues.
According to the American Heart Association, men and women must regularly raise their metabolic rate above the sitting rate to improve their long-term health and reduce the risk of serious health conditions.
Anyone who experiences pins and needles when standing up from their office chair needs to look into ergonomic seating immediately, as the pins and needles indicate inadequate blood circulation.
Fewer Worker’s Compensation Claims
Most companies are required to have worker’s compensation insurance to cover claims from workers related to their employment.
When a company switches to ergonomic seating, they find the number of claims decreases as workers experience less pain, as outlined above.
While the company must continue to pay the worker’s compensation insurance premiums, they won’t pay as much when the number of claims decreases.
Customized Seating
Companies can spend a fortune on customized seating for each worker or invest in ergonomic chairs.
These chairs are adjustable, so the company won’t need to purchase new seating when somebody quits and a new employee is hired.
They make adjustments to the existing chair so it is comfortable for them. Each ergonomic chair can accommodate various body types, making them ideal for shared workspaces.
Once the person makes the desired adjustments to the chair, they shouldn’t have to do anything else. The chair will naturally accommodate them.
Choosing an Ergonomic Chair
When purchasing office seating, individuals need to look for specific features in an ergonomic chair.
With many brands and styles offered today, a person should not make this choice based on price alone.
The chair should allow the user to customize the seat height, depth, and tilt.
Examine the armrests to confirm they can be adjusted for the user’s height and width, and test the padding on the backrest and seat.
Breathable materials are preferred, and the padding should be sufficient for several hours of sitting.
Choose a seat with tension control so the user can adjust the force needed to relieve the pain smoothly and controllably.
A tilt mechanism makes it easy to recline the chair and adjust the backrest and seat angle simultaneously.
Other features to look for when buying this type of chair include adjustable lumbar support for the lower back and a contoured backrest that adapts to the person’s natural spine curvature.
Finally, the chair should have an adjustable headrest and a stable base with effortlessly rolling casters.
Every business should consider investing in ergonomic seating for workers. Guests also appreciate having this type of seating when they visit the business.
They won’t be forced to remain in an uncomfortable chair for long periods when interacting with staff members, which they will greatly appreciate.
Ergonomic chairs offer an excellent return on investment, so they should be one purchase that is prioritized.
