subject: The Use Of Ergonomic Office Chairs And Its Effect On Company Productivity [print this page] Working in the office often involves sorting out and arranging files and documents, encoding, and other general office filing tasks. These routine often confines them in their chair and workstations. Before, office furniture largely comprises of bare tables and rigid, straight-backed chairs which the common worker has to endure and most of the time leads to body aches and pains. When this happens, the worker's attention shifts from being productive to being comfortable.
The Relationship Between Productivity and Ergonomics
Ergonomics is derived from the Greek terms ergon and nomoi, which means work and natural laws, respectively. The principles surrounding ergonomics focus on designing a job or a work system to suite the individual that is going to perform it rather than tailoring an individual to fit an established work system. This discipline studies the interaction between man and other environmental factors that can affect his ability to perform efficiently the task at hand. Ergonomists, the people who practice the science of ergonomics, concern themselves in coming up with new plans and designs, and even assessments of the working environment that the worker often comes in contact with. The worker's abilities and limitations are also taken into consideration in improving the system in order to achieve the production goal.
The Use of Ergonomics in the Office Setting
Improving the design of office furniture, like office chairs, is one of the applications of the ergonomics principle. When a job requires that a worker be confined to a chair most of the time, it would be best if that chair can provide the comfort and support that the body needs. Functional chairs that can support the office workers' body is the solution.The benefits of obtaining these chairs are more than just providing comfort but also prevent bodily injuries in the work place.
Basic Features to Consider when Obtaining Chairs
As a rule, chairs used in the office should not only be functional but also conventional in style to maintain a professional atmosphere. There are a lot of designs of ergonomic chairs available in the market, but the basic features to consider when obtaining some for the office are generally the following:
1. The seat: To accommodate the varied needs of the office workers, the chair seat should be able to adjust to the height required for a worker to rest his feet on the floor. The seat dimensions should also be able to support the weight and size of the worker.
2. Back support: There should be suitable lower back and upper back support from the chair's back rest to prevent the worker from experiencing recurring back pains due to prolonged sitting.
3. Chair armrests: The chair should also be fitted with armrests that can be adjustable to fit the needs of every office worker who uses the chair and lets them rest their arms and shoulders with ease.
