Why ergonomic chairs are a must for every office

The ergonomic chair is becoming increasingly more popular in recent years, and there is no surprise why either. They provide so many health and work benefits when used, which include preventing work-related injuries such as back, neck, and shoulder pain.

Did you know that irritability and depression can decrease when discomfort is reduced? When spending a lot of time in front of a desk, whether that be in the office or working from home, it is important that the seating provides comfort, especially as many backs are unknowingly damaged by a bad chair.

In this article, we will be exploring all the benefits that ergonomic chairs bring and why you can’t go without them in the workplace.

What is an ergonomic chair?

Firstly, you may be asking what is an ergonomic chair and what does it mean? Ergonomics is a science also known as human engineering or biotechnology. It involves looking at the design of objects and how they can be made to compliment easy and safe interaction. An ergonomic chair has been designed to best support the body, taking into consideration posture, comfort, health and support.

Ergonomic chairs offer features designed to improve posture and help support all necks and backs. A good ergonomic chair will also be adjustable so that it can fit people from all different heights and sizes making it perfect for any office environment.

Why should you make the switch to ergonomic chairs?

The main benefit of ergonomic chairs is that they keep the users back healthy and resolve any back and neck pain problems if adjusted correctly. But there are other benefits too, a healthy back is key to good health and can decrease chances of irritability and depression, digestive issues, and concentration deficits.

If people are healthier and more comfortable, they are much happier when working and able to work more efficiently. Struggling with back or neck pain can have a negative impact on their work as it can be distracting. By having more ergonomic chairs in the office, you will be providing more comfort for employees, improving their health as well as their work ethic. Sounds like a no-brainer, right?

How to make sure your ergonomic chair is adjusted correctly

Even though ergonomic chairs are a good way to prevent back pain and other serious conditions that can occur when spending long hours sitting down, even the best ergonomic chairs will not provide any benefit if they are not adjusted correctly.

Many people do not know how to adjust an ergonomic chair, and this means that some of the benefits end up being lost. So how can we ensure that it is adjusted correctly?

• Seat Pan: to properly adjust the chair, the user will need to sit feet flat on the floor and adjust the height, so their knees are at a 90-degree angle. The depth of the seat should be adjusted so that the edge of the chair tapers down a few inches behind the backs of the knees when fully seated. Or if you do not have a tape to hand, 3 fingers between the knee and seat of the chair.
• Backrest: the lumbar support must be adjusted to comfortably fit in the lumbar area of a person’s back. It must be raised high enough to fit against the lumbar and thoracic spine and forward enough to not force them to have to lean back to get the backrest support. If they find that the backrest is not supporting them still, the seat pan may be too large, and a different chair could be needed.
• Armrests: the correct positioning for armrests is directly underneath where the users arms end while sitting with their hands on the desk maintaining good posture. Some standard office chairs provide armrests that are spaced too widely apart, and this can encourage bad posture. Armrests should be long enough to fully accommodate the forearm and if they are too short, the benefit of them is lost.

To further ensure the health of your employees, it would be worthwhile to combine the ergonomic chair with height-adjustable desking. This is because the height-adjustable desks, such as our Wolfe desks, will give employees the opportunity to alternate between sitting or standing, limiting the amount of time spent sitting down can really improve a person’s health.

Ergonomic office chairs from Haiken

At Haiken, all our task chairs are designed with ergonomic features in mind. Our favourites for ergonomic aspects are Holborn or Maine which assist in creating that comfortable office space. Some of the benefits include:

• Paxton: has a unique backrest designed for optimum support. It is also hugely adjustable with 4D adjustable armrests and seat depth.
• Stirling office chair: looking for a cheaper ergonomic option? Stirling can be upholstered in either mesh or fabric, both available in a wide range of different colours. The Stirling chair is also made from sensitive foam so that the seat moulds to every individual, providing incomparable comfort. It has 4D armrests and a donate synchro tilt and lock mechanism.

If sitting for long periods of time, upgrading to an ergonomically designed chair could be extremely worthwhile. They are available in multiple styles for all different kinds of people. At Haiken, we are continually looking for revolutionary ergonomic systems to ensure that our seating is the most comfortable you will ever find!

If you want to know more about our ergonomic chairs, please contact us today and we will be delighted to help you.