Spending long hours in a seated position doing office work can often turn out harmful. It can negatively affect one’s well-being as well as one’s body posture. Unsupported postures cause the loads on the spine to disperse incorrectly, which can have a negative impact on the backbone. Fortunately, there’s a solution to prevent the negative effects of prolonged sitting and back pains. All you need to do is to select the right furniture, including the right office chairs. You can do that by following the rules specified below.

Office chairs must be tailored for employees

Contrary to what many people believe, chairs aren’t universal pieces of furniture which can be shared by several office workers. Instead, these chairs must be individually tailored considering the height and weight of the given employee. Only then will that person adopt the right posture i.e. the foot surface will form an angle of 90 degrees with the lower leg.

Office chairs must be made right

It may happen that while choosing office chairs employers will consider only one criterion – they may focus on swivel chairs with large backrests, neglecting Rule One. And that one criterion isn’t enough. If you want to ensure work comfort for your employees, you need to pay attention to other elements that can make your furniture pieces right. 

First of all, you need to think of the seat. It can’t be either too long or too short – your thighs should rest comfortably and your legs should do a 90-degree angle. The seat depth should correspond to the measurements of its user. The user should have a comfortable and even pressure across the entire seat and should access support from the back of the chair. 

Furthermore, the backrest is of vital importance as well. If the chair isn’t employee-tailored, the backrest may do an unimaginable harm to the user’s back. It’s necessary to properly shape the backrest to support the user’s lower back – this part of the back should be taken care of in order to prevent any future health problems and lower back pains. The ideal office chairs will have some lumbar support to reduce lumbar disc pressure. 

Finally, there are armrests - to support elbows and forearms while maintaining a natural posture - which are also important because they relieve stress on certain joints. They appear quite useful whenever you want to change your position or simply rest for a while.

Office chairs must be adjustable

Another rule is connected with chair adjustment. It does happen that the chair isn’t compatible with the desk in 100 percent, which means you need to adjust the height of that chair yourself. 

It’s worth noting that the adjustment isn’t only about the height of the chair. In an office chair you should be able to adjust the seat depth and the backrest angle, too. So, if the chair has been purchased without consulting the worker, the worker should know how to properly adjust that chair to own needs and preferences.

Office chairs must combine design and comfort

And finally, there is material/fabric to consider, which tends to get sometimes overlooked. Some people may find it hard to believe that design can actually impact comfort. Well, these are the facts - it does. Just think of upholstery used for office chairs. For example, leather is often number one choice and, although it’s true that it’s elegant and timeless, yet not quite comfortable to use as it’s slippery, or on hot days when you sweat your body is sticking to it. 

A much better choice will be classic upholstery fabrics. They are easy to clean and resistant to scratches. Mesh back chairs are also recommended. These chairs have an undisputable advantage – by enabling airflow they offer ventilation.