If you run a company and the majority of your employees do desk jobs, having comfortable computer chairs is a necessity. This is because these chairs are more relaxing and offer better support to the user so that their posture is well-maintained and areas like their shoulders, neck, back, and knees are not strained. An ideal sitting posture on a computer chair should let:
- Your thighs are parallel to the floor
- Feet rest flat comfortably on the floor
- Arms are leveled according to the desk
- Your back receive complete support
This would ensure that all your employees feel fully relaxed while working and their spine receives ample support. This will increase their productivity because they would not take short breaks to relax and would be able to focus on work. Moreover, they would take lesser sick leaves.
But how would you make sure that you buy the right computer chairs for your office? Read the following guide to help you out.
#1 Lumbar Support
The lumbar or lower spine of humans is arched inwards naturally. If a person sits too long in the chair without any support, they would slouch in the lower back as well as feel strained in their lumbar spine structure. So, the computer chair you choose should have lumbar support which should be adjustable. Since the chair would be used by numerous people, if it is adjustable, every user could change the setting as per their convenience.
#2 Depth And Width Of The Seat
The depth and width of the seat should be large enough to fit the user. The seat should support most of the user’s upper legs but should not be too deep that the user’s knees’ back when they lean into the chair. The computer chairs you go for should have sufficient depth and width to support the users comfortably. The depth should be enough so that you can lean comfortably in the chair and your knees should be 2-4 inches away from the chair’s seat.
#3 Adjustable Seat Height
This is the primary factor to pay attention to before buying computer chairs. The chair would be used by several people with varying heights. Some would be 5’0” while some would be 6’0” and taller. This is why the height of the chair’s seat should be adjustable. It should be increased or decreased as per the convenience of the users. The desk chairs should enable the users to look directly at the monitor. Chairs with adjustable height from 16-21 inches off the ground are ideal as this height range would suit people with almost all the heights.
#4 Backrest
A computer chair generally has an attached backrest and seat or a separate backrest and seat. If the backrest and seat are one unit, the chair should have the choice of tilting backward or forward depending on what the user prefers. It should have a locking mechanism as well. If the backrest and seat are separate, their angle and height should adjustable.
#5 Material
The quality of the material is definitely something you should pay attention to. But the chair quality you want depends on the purpose, length of usage, and need of the chair. If your employees use monitors for a long period, a cloth seat would be more beneficial than the leather one because cloth is breathable while leather is not.
However, if you are buying the chair for managers and employees working in high positions, leather chairs would look better. They also have more padding and thus, they are very comfortable and relaxing. Leather chairs have another benefit – they are easier to clean.
You can also choose the chairs with mesh backs as well because they are extremely ventilated. So, if your office is in hotter areas or sees a lot of sunlight, chairs with mesh back would be a lot more comfortable for the employees.
#6 Simple Adjustment Control
Most of the points mentioned in this list talk about adjustments but they should be easy to use and placed in reachable positions. Using them should be intuitive and not seem like a task for the users. Moreover, controls must be reachable from a seated position without any special effort and strain.
The user should be able to alter the tile, swivel, and height from the seated position because nobody would want to keep repeating the same process of first standing, then adjusting the chair, and finally sitting in it while using the computer.
#7 Armrest
Having an armrest is optional, which depends on various things, such as whether the user will sit on the computer chair for a long time or move around more often. Essentially, the user’s shoulders and arms should be completely relaxed when on the armrest. The lower arms and elbows should rest comfortably on the armrest. If the users are of both kinds, you can go for the chairs with detachable armrests so that there would not be any hassles while performing tasks that require more mobility.
#8 Proper Wheels
If the chairs have proper wheels, the users can move in the room without having to get up from the chair and this comfort would be desirable by all. The wheels depend on the type of floor the chairs would be used on.
In the case of hard surfaces like tiles, marble floor, and wooden floor, the chair should have soft, rubber wheels. On surfaces with carpet, hard wheels would be better. It is extremely necessary to make sure that the chairs have got proper wheels to prevent any functionality problems.
#9 Rotation
The computer chairs should rotate to offer freedom of movement to the users. While working, you might have to turn to use the printer or grab useful things. Getting up from the chair and then performing those tasks would be inconvenient. This is why buying chairs that can rotate 360 degrees is important.
The Bottom Line
The above-mentioned factors play an important role in deciding the chairs you should buy for your employees who sit on the computers for long durations. It is good to have various adjustments but those controls should be easily reachable for the users.
