Office ergonomics: definition and key issues
Ergonomic furniture covers all office equipment. It refers to a setup—chair, armchair, desk—designed and engineered to meet the specific needs of the human body. A real challenge for businesses, office ergonomics ensures employees’ comfort and protects their health while promoting team productivity. Ergonomic furniture adapts to the user by incorporating various adjustments and technologies. Adjustable elements include, in particular, the following:
- adjustable backrest tilt;
- adjustable lumbar support;
- adjustable armrests;
- height-adjustable desk or table;
- etc.
Enough to provide employees with optimal working conditions! As we know, a comfortable work environment is one of the factors that helps companies retain talent. Office ergonomics is therefore far from a secondary concern for employers.
What is the difference between traditional furniture and ergonomic furniture?
With traditional furniture, the human body adapts to the workstation. With ergonomic furniture, the workstation adapts to users. Design is no longer solely in the service of workplace aesthetics. It is shaped according to the context of use and the user’s body shape.
To better understand the difference between these two types of office furniture, let us compare the most common ergonomic furniture with their traditional versions.
Ergonomic chair vs. standard chair
Whether a chair or an armchair, a standard office chair provides employees with a seat and a work surface to carry out their daily tasks: computer work, file review, etc.
However, sitting at a desk for many hours every day can lead to various aches and pains known as musculoskeletal disorders. These pains are mainly due to poor spinal positioning caused by using an unsuitable chair. The ergonomic chair or armchair addresses this issue by offering employees far more than a simple seat. An ergonomic office chair is a true active partner in their pursuit of more comfortable work.
Designed to reduce fatigue and muscle tension, its design provides optimal support for users, from the neck to the back, as well as the arms, legs, and feet. It includes customisable height and tilt adjustments, particularly for the backrest and armrests, to suit each person’s body shape and different working contexts.
Ergonomic desk vs. standard desk
Executive desk, individual desk, or shared desk, the standard desk provides employees with a stable work surface, a support on which to work for hours, more or less equipped depending on the model. Simple or with storage, this office furniture does not offer the same versatility as the ergonomic version.
A must-have model, the sit-stand desk makes it possible to adjust the height of the workstation to suit needs and encourage a more dynamic posture. No more sitting for hours, which caused back pain and other health issues. The ergonomic sit-stand desk offers freedom of movement that benefits employees’ health.
Ergonomic accessories vs. standard office layout
The chair and desk are not the only elements that affect employees’ comfort. It is also possible to create an ergonomic workspace by moving away from traditional shelves, cabinets, and accessories in favour of ergonomic storage solutions. These complement workstation layouts to create an even more comfortable and personalised workspace.
These include, in particular, the monitor stand, document holder, desk organiser, mobile storage pedestal, etc. The computer monitor stand, for example, is an ergonomic office accessory that ensures better posture at work by raising the line of sight and providing optimal reading comfort.
Focus on the ergonomic office chair: Jbonet presents 3 must-know models
As an expert in office fit-outs, Jbonet knows the leading brands in ergonomic furniture and their flagship models perfectly. Also specialising in designer furniture, we always guide our clients towards a product range that combines comfort and aesthetics to deliver unmatched quality at every level. A closer look at 3 ergonomic and designer chairs you absolutely need to know!
The Embody chair: an ergonomic office chair designed with the help of 30 scientists
With the Embody chair by Herman Miller, an American furniture and equipment company, your working posture is taken seriously. The design of this office chair involved no fewer than 30 scientists from various fields: biomechanics, physics, physiotherapy, etc. The result: this chair is a benchmark in active and passive ergonomics.
- The chair’s spine-inspired design ensures precise manual adjustment of back support.
- The pixel matrix of the backrest and seat automatically adapts to the user’s micro-movements.
- The narrow backrest promotes correct posture and offers optimal freedom of movement.
- The chair features a pneumatic seat and adjustable armrests.
The se:air chair: an ergonomic office chair awarded the international product design prize
Among Sedus ergonomic products, the se:air chair stood out in 2023 by receiving a particularly prestigious award in the designer furniture field: the Red Dot Design Award. This award is presented each year in Germany to recognise equipment with innovative aesthetics.
This office armchair is notable for replacing traditional fabric upholstery with a mesh that allows air to pass through the seat and backrest, providing breathable comfort. Above all, however, it is the patented Kinetic-Swing mechanism integrated into the chair that makes it a superior-quality ergonomic armchair. It enables automatic adjustment of the chair to the user’s weight, both in terms of seat height and armrest positioning.
The Aeron chair: an essential benchmark in office ergonomics
Back to Herman Miller with this premium-quality office chair. The Aeron chair has been the essential benchmark in ergonomics since its release in 1994. This armchair offers particularly ingenious weight distribution thanks to 8Z Pellicle technology, optimal spinal support via an adjustable PostureFit SL system, and balanced recline that provides perfect freedom of movement through the Harmonic 2 tilt. There is no fabric here either: this ergonomic chair opts for black or grey plastic certified “Ocean Bound Plastic” to provide a durable structure.
An office fit-out project in Nice or nearby? Looking for a reliable office furniture supplier? Find the perfect office furniture to create a comfortable, design-led work environment from our range of chairs, desks, pedestals, and other professional equipment. From choosing your ergonomic office furniture to product delivery and installation, our team supports you at every stage of fitting out your workspace. Contact our company to discuss your office fit-out project.
