Thursday, September 10, 2009

Ergonomic Office Furniture Design And Its Numerous Benefits

By Philip Barker

The office interior is incomplete without office furniture, and the latter should be in line with the overall office design. The office furniture should also follow the principles of ergonomics in order to ensure that workers can go on using them for extended durations without any health hazards.

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. Hence, it is critical to make sure that office furniture, particularly office chairs are ergonomic and user friendly.

It is critical to look for a few features before purchasing office chairs. You must ensure that the chosen office chairs are stable, portable and optimally adjustable. The arm rests of chairs must fulfil their utility well, and the height should be changeable so that the occupant can adjust the chair as per his body comfort. The chair should allow comfortable mobility of hands and legs such that the employee can implement his tasks without any hurdles. The back support is the most critical component of an office chair. It must be optimally curved and padded to provide the back and the spinal cord maximum support and rest when used.

Office desks are the second most important office furniture components after office chairs. Desks should be of an ideal height and should have enough space on top to allow employees to perform both computer and writing tasks without facing any problems. Crowded or small office desks are very uncomfortable to work on and the employee's body has to make a lot of adjustments which are normally bad for health over a long period.

The positioning of office furniture also plays an important part in the overall ergonomic setting of the office. There should be enough free space between the cabins or cubicles so that staff and bulky goods both get enough space to move, without causing disturbance to the work of seated employees.

Good office ergonomics ensure not only a healthy workforce but a more efficient and productive one as well. An ergonomic workplace promotes better work management and organization among employees and also makes work a relaxed and pleasant experience for them.

Office design should always be such that the physical discomfort is ideally zero or at least minimised for the workers. The office interior must be conducive to healthy working environment where an employee can go about his or her work without facing any troubles, so that his role in the success of the business can be maximized.

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