Thursday, September 10, 2009

Ergonomic Office Furniture Design - One Sign For A Company Who Cares

By Anthony Barker

Office furniture forms an indispensable part of the office interior, and it must be in sync with the office design. At the same time it must be ergonomic such that when made use of for long durations, it does not cause any damage to the user's health.

Over one third of an ordinary employee's day is spent in the office, and if the office furniture causes him discomfort and body ache, then it may create serious threat to his health. Thus it is critical for employers to ensure that office furniture, especially office chairs, are designed to maximize employees' comfort.

Any purchase of office chairs should be made only after making sure of a few things. You should ensure that the chosen office chairs are steady, easily movable and optimally adjustable. The arm rests of chairs must serve their purpose well, and the height should be changeable so that the occupant can adjust the chair according to his body comfort. The chair should allow for easy movement of limbs so that there are no obstructions for the employee while he or she is engaged in work. The back support is the most important aspect of office chairs. It must be optimally curved and padded to provide the back and spine maximum support and rest when seated.

Office desks are the second most crucial office furniture components after office chairs. The desk should neither be too elevated nor too low, and should give enough space to the employee to carry out jobs both on his desktop and with his office files. Cramped or small office desks are very uncomfortable to work on and the employee's body has to make several adjustments which are normally bad for health over a long period.

Office ergonomics is incomplete without careful planning of the placement of office furniture. For instance, there must be ample alley space between workstations to facilitate unhindered man and material movement, such that it does not lead to any disturbance to an employee sitting at a workstation.

Good office ergonomics make sure not only a healthy workforce but a more efficient and productive one as well. An employee can manage and arrange his work properly and can perform his jobs in a comfortable and spirited manner if the ergonomics in his office are conducive to his health and fitness.

Office design should be such that it totally rids the employees of any sort of bodily discomfort as far as possible. The office interior must try to create such working conditions in which employees can carry out their tasks in a very productive manner without any health concerns, so that the organization gets the advantages of a healthy and efficient workforce.

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