Office Furniture: which criteria to follow when choosing office furniture?
Office life isn’t always easy, but if the environment in which we spend at least eight hours a day has been well thought out and designed following specific criteria and standards, without a doubt that we’ll find ourselves working in a space that’s comfortable. But just having a comfortable temperature or good soundproofing while meeting in the meeting room will never be enough to ensure you enjoy total well-being during working hours. To cope well with every working day, it’s also essential that the hours you spend sitting at your desk are spent sitting on a comfy chair.
The perfect seat
When selecting office furniture, choosing the perfect chair is fundamental because the right choice will allow the body to adopt the perfect sitting position which accommodates the body’s shape and meets required ergonomic criteria. The chair must ensure proper lumbar support without overloading it; it must be equipped with a headrest that keeps the neck relaxed and not tense, and it must be equipped with a horizontal slider that allows constant contact of the back with the backrest. The sitting position must be such as to keep the legs and the torso at a right angle; the robust armrests must support and bear part of the weight of the torso; and the materials used in the chair’s upholstery must not be overlooked since these must be structurally well designed in such a way as to ensure proper breathability and constant ventilation between the torso and the backrest.
How to choose a chair so you can sit properly
It goes without saying that the choice of the seat is linked to the type of work and available office furniture budget. The ideal would be to always have chairs that are ergonomic, versatile, performant and aesthetically beautiful. But it is not always possible to have all these qualities together, so it’s a good idea to decide case by case and always opt for the best possible solution. Do you need a quote for office design? Contact us to find out the perfect solution for your requirements.
It has to be ergonomic
Worker comfort is fundamental. And this is attainable thanks to their psychophysical well-being. A comfortable worker is a more productive worker, or at least that is how it should be. Adopting and maintaining correct posture for so many hours at the desk is not so easy for everyone and often people adopt postures that are totally wrong. Especially at the end of the day, when tiredness is a negative factor, a well-designed chair can really help. The important thing is that its shape follows the natural shape of the body and that its height and reclining angle can be adjusted.
Full time or part-time
Does the design of a piece of office furniture involve a number of non-trivial variables, such as for example, when the seat is to be used? Choosing a seat for fixed stations in rows such as those of a call centre where workers alternate in shifts, is definitely different from buying a personal armchair to use all day; in the first case the need for a top of the range armchair could be excessive; a less performant but still comfortable and functional one might make for the most suitable solution. In the second case, on the other hand, the choice of a seat based on specific requirements and with high-performance characteristics will be the winning choice. It is worth remembering that the UNI standard regulates the characteristics of office chairs for those who work with video display screens, regardless of the field of work.
Technical characteristics
The regulations stipulate that the seats must be comfortable, stable and allow absolute freedom of movement; the base must have five spokes, but may have or may not have cushioned armrests. Height and inclination of the backrest should be adjustable and, in addition, the frame should provide a 360 degree swivel mechanism on its axis. The chair must be fitted with wheels. The edges of the backrest and seat must be rounded and not angular and the ends of the edges hollow and plugged. The seat must include a footrest accessory to be placed under the desk so as to allow the legs to rest while at the same time taking the weight from the lumbar area.
Materials
A good chair must be flexible and sturdy, depending on the office it will be used in, you can choose metal or hard plastic frame. Choice options of fabric, leather or leatherette may also depend on the style of the office or the personal choice of the decor of a studio. The quality of materials is a fundamental aspect: poor quality, such as the coating fabric, can lead to wear and tear faster than expected. It should also be stressed that materials which are difficult to clean, not waterproof or not durable are usually best avoided.
Design and aesthetics
The office chair is no longer just a black chair with wheels on – something that’s now obsolete. R&D in this area is constant with a focus on designing chairs offering maximum comfort without compromising on aesthetic appearance. Designers and manufacturers of office furniture, while respecting the criteria and the use of materials imposed by legislation, try to create an object that is not only functional but also aesthetically pleasant and has ergonomic and contemporary shapes. Do you want to revolutionize your office or your company by making it an innovative workspace based on the smart working design concept? Contact us right away to create your perfect office design and furnish it with our custom furniture!
