Ergonomics and You - The Benefits of Ergonomic Furniture in the Workplace

The purchase of office furniture is an important business investment for any company. Knowing the benefits of the furniture you're purchasing is absolutely essential. For these reasons, we will discuss the benefits of new ergonomic furniture in the workplace and how to improve your day to day efficiency through the utilization of current ergo products.

In a nut shell, ergonomics is the applied science of equipment design with the intention of maximizing productivity by reducing operator fatigue and discomfort. Ergonomic products range from height adjustable tables, workstations, and modern office chairs to much less expensive items like ergonomic monitor arms, articulating keyboard trays, and footrests. Regardless of what products you choose to utilize in your workplace, it's important to know the benefits of each and how to operate them properly. Simply buying every ergo product on the market won't make you an efficient employee. However, taking the time to understand the benefits of each product and how to make them work for you will!

To first understand the benefits of ergonomic furniture you must first understand your body and the areas needing the most support. Commonly, these areas include the eyes, back, wrists, and feet. As these areas are commonly the most fatigued during the work day, it's no wonder why so many fantastic ergonomic products have been created to provide relief to these areas. One great tip to consider is to meet with you physician for a check up. Most doctors are ergonomic gurus who will gladly share with you products they are currently utilizing while explaining the benefits they have personally received from said items.

Taking your research one step further, it's important to consider the layout of your workspace. Working with designer might enhance the look of your office but devalue the efficiency you are able to achieve with your space. It's vital to outfit your space in the best way possible to maximize your working potential. An excellent point to consider is how many times you currently have to get up during the day for simple tasks like printing and filing. If it's more than 5 or 6 times per day you are currently working in non-ergo workspace. This being the case, you might consider looking into re designing your office, even if it's with your current furniture.

If you determine that an office makeover is necessary, several quality ergonomic furniture resources are available at your disposal. Manufacturers like ESI Ergonomic Solutions, Symmetry, Systematix, Ergonomic Concepts, and Mayline provide excellent solutions to name a few. Additionally, you will want to know which of these manufacturers product lines are most commonly used in ergonomic work spaces. These lines and collections include VariTask tables by Mayline, ergonomic workstations by ESI, Symmetry monitor arms, and Systematix keyboard trays. As for affordable ergonomic seating manufacturers there are just too many to list. Our favorite however, is Global Total Office!

So, you've designed your office with ergonomics in mind. What benefits should you expect? If properly outfitted out you should have all the essentials at your finger tips. Your CPU, printer, articulating keyboard tray, and computer monitor will all be ergo-fied. Your desk is more than likely height adjustable and features a boomerang type shape. You are enjoying a properly lit office, adequate office storage products, and a fully functional office chair designed with you back type in mind.

Defining Ergonomic Office Chair Features Will Save You Money

Before spending hard earned money, it's important to know the value of what you will be getting in return. When it comes to ergonomic office chairs, it's no different. In today's post we will cover several popular ergonomic chair features and define the purpose. How will this save you money? Quite frankly, most office chairs today offer a few necessary ergonomic features that are a must. Others offer bells and whistles that might not be necessary for you to spend money on. We recommend that you take the time to define the ergonomic features you feel are right for you and purchase your next office chair accordingly. Additionally, saving money on ergonomic features you don't need allows you to allocate funds to other areas!

Tension Adjustment: Increase or decrease chair tension to allow your body to rock comfortably without heavy pushing. This feature helps to reduce muscle fatigue.

Chair Tilt Lock: This features allows users the ability to lock their seat to accommodate individual position preferences. There are two types of chair tilt lock. These are single and infinite. Infinite allows you to lock the chair at any angle you choose.

Seat Height: This features has become a standard on most office chairs. As simple as it sounds, it really is an important ergonomic attribute to add to your office chair. Adjusting the seat height of a chair to meet your needs will take pressure off your thighs, which will subsequently ease blood flow.

Arm Height: Another common feature that should not be over looked. I personally would not purchase a chair that did not offer arm height adjustment. This valuable feature allows operators to reduce the muscular effort in the neck and shoulders, therefore minimizing the risk of pain.

Contoured Seat Cushions: Contoured cushions support the body effectively. They allow users to sit for longer periods comfortably. Thus increasing your productivity.

Width Adjustable Arms: This feature allows outward movement of armrests to match shoulder breadth. This ensures that armrests properly support your forearms, thus reducing muscular effort in the neck and shoulders.

Synchro Tilt Movement: Allows the backrest to reline at a faster rate than the seat which increases the angle between your torso and thighs. This ergo features enhances comfort and encourages dynamic body movement.

Waterfall Seat Edge: Reduces pressure at the back of the knee and improves blood flow.

These are just a few of the more common ergonomic chair features. Overall, it is important to understand the individual benefits of having each. In today's market, chairs can be seen with features from back adjustment to solar powered toaster ovens (that's a joke). In the long run, doing your homework on the front end can definitely save you money, while increasing your day to day efficiency in the workplace.