A recent article investigated the benefits of standing at work and uncovered a number of people that stand instead of sit for most of their working day. The health benefits, they believe, are reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer and type 2 diabetes as well as weight loss and improved fitness. Some research reports these claims and it has been suggested that sitting for long periods of the day has similarly ill-effects as smoking. Standing instead of sitting burns an extra 50 calories an hour and spending an extra 30 minutes on your feet a day could burn up to 5.2lbs over a year.
Some furniture designers are taking the concept of standing rather than sitting at work very seriously and it is possible to purchase desks where the height can be adjusted to allow a person to stand and work. The Varidesk for example can be placed on top of existing desks to give additional height. Prices start at £325 and a companion mat can be purchased to provide core support for maximum benefit.
Whilst standing and movement around the office in general should certainly be encouraged, standing for 8 or more hours a day may not be suitable for everyone in your workplace. Furniture which has been designed to provide comfort and support will help to ensure that when someone is sitting for long periods at a time it is not at the detriment of their back. There are wide variety of office chairs available with built in features to support your back and increase your comfort whilst working. The One chair by Boss Design Group matches form and function with style effortlessly. It is a 24 hours task chair with headrest and multi adjustable arms and an inflatable lumbar to ensure it can be moulded to your back for maximum support. It also incorporates tension control and a sliding seat to enable ease of movement.
The Gavi chair by Frem Solutions is another excellent ergonomic chair design . Available in black or polished aluminium base with a synchro mechanism, seat slider and 3d arms the chair certainly looks the part. The contoured seat, head rest and lumbar support guarantee the comfort and support provided by the chair.
Lastly the Vitesse range by Triumph is an excellent range designed with comfort in mind. The ergonomically engineered task chair incorporates auto body weight that adapts to the user as well as synchro mechanism which customises the chair resistance and tilt automatically to suit. There is an adjustable lumbar support and an optional headrest promising that this chair should be considered when making a purchase of workplace chairs.
Whether you decide to make your office more standing friendly or stick to sitting ensuring that you have suitable furniture in place that will allow your employees to work in comfort is crucial. Don’t hesitate to contact us with all your furniture questions and queries.
