Continuing to work from home
Many workers will have been planning to return to the office, but due to the governments recent change in advice will now be continuing to work from home for at least another six months. If you have been putting off purchasing office equipment due to uncertainty as to where you will be working now is probably the time to consider moving on from using a dining chair or sofa and look at buying an office chair. But which chair should you buy?
Home workers often buy an unsuitable office chair
Feedback from clients who have bought home office furniture over the past few months has often been that they had unknowingly bought an unsuitable chair that although an improvement over using a dining chair or sofa, was not compatible with their desk/table or unsuitable for their body type and working posture. In addition, many chairs are poorly made and have proven unsuitable for daily use.
Choosing the best chair
When choosing an office chair the main adjustments to look for are seatpan height and backrest height and tilt. Other features that are ‘good to have’ are height adjustable armrests, adjustable seatpan depth, seatpan tilt and lumbar support. Some chairs also allow you to lock and unlock the backrest and adjust the tension so that the chair supports your spine, whether you are sitting more upright to type, or reclining backwards.
Armrests should ideally be height and width adjustable. Some armrests can be very deep from front to back and prevent you from sitting in close to the desk. Therefore they should be able to be removed.
Depending on your floor covering you should request either soft rubber or hard castors. Hard castors are not suitable for hard flooring as the chair will roll around too easily and soft castors do not roll smoothly on carpeted floors.
Chairs for Tall and short people
If you are particularly tall or short it is likely that you will need a chair tailored to your proportions. For example; if the seatpan is too long you won’t be able to get your bottom back in the chair to engage the backrest effectively and if it is too short, your thighs will not be adequately supported.
Some people prefer chairs with mesh fabric as they can be cooler to sit in especially during the summer months. Unfortunately some of the cheaper mesh chairs tend to sag over time and lose their support.
Office chairs are very heavy. If you have any discomfort, request that the chair is delivered and installed so that you do not need to lift it.
For help and advice on purchasing a suitable office chair and setting it up to suit you and your workstation please call 020 7411 9855 email us at info@ergoatwork.co.uk or use the Contact Us page.
