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HOW_IMPORTANT_IS_YOUR_OFFICE_CHAIR
| HOW IMPORTANT IS YOUR OFFICE CHAIR?
How much do employers and employees truly value their office
chair? I have been involved in office furniture installation for
nearly 10 years and it constantly amazes me how a desk is valued
far more than a chair. Both are inanimate objects, true; however
a desks purpose is simply too keep your computer, paperwork,
photos of your family etc
off the floor. The value of the desk
is 90% aesthetic. When I see clients with regard to office
refurbishment, in 9 out of 10 cases they have a set budget. From
this budget, office desks generally take priority, with office
chair selection dictated by funds remaining after the desks have
been chosen.
But why? Lets look at some maths for a minute. You work 8 hours
a day, 5 days a week, 48 weeks a year. If we say you are sat at
your desk approximately 5 hours per day in the course of a year
you spend 1200 hours sat in your office chair. If you want to
visualise this better 1200 hours is the same as 50 days and
nights solid sitting down.
So what do you sit on at work?
Budget operator chairs are available from as little as Ł30.
Whilst these are of solid construction and in a lot of cases
guaranteed for up to 5 years, they are simply not ergonomically
suitable for prolonged use.
It could be suggested that an employers provision for seating,
bluntly comes down to how much they value the well being of
their staff.
If anyone believes the above statement to be a little dramatic
it is worth knowing that the official prevalence of back pain in
the UK is 16.5million sufferers. Reports suggest approximately 5
million days per year are lost in the UK working days are lost
in Britain through back pain.
2005 reports state that stress has recently overtaken back pain
as the most common cause for absenteeism in the workplace.
According to the HSE up to 5 million people in the UK claim to
feel 'very' or 'extremely' stressed by their work. Obviously
stress has a number on contributory factors but having to
maintain an uncomfortable posture would certainly be a major one
It is wrong to suggest that more appropriate office chair
provision will completely alleviate these problems. It must
however surely help whilst improving overall motivation from
staff whilst they are at work.
Orthopaedic seating is readily available through most good
office furniture suppliers, however when office furniture quotes
and tenders are created in a price driven market, no one seems
to have analysed the true cost implications of inappropriate
seating.
About the author:
Craig Jones is Sales and Marketing Director for Quality Direct
Office Supplies Ltd (QDOS). QDOS are based in Nottingham,
England and specialise in Office furniture design and
installation throughout the UK. To view the company website
http://qdosltd.co.uk.html To email Craig directly
craig@qdosltd.co.uk
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