Whether in a small home office or a large corporate building, modern office furniture has changed in many ways from the classic old uncomfortable desk and office swivel chair. Today’s office calls for furniture that is comfortable, functional, ergonomically correct, attractive and sensitive to the environment - more factors to consider than ever before! As the old saying goes 'a comfortable employee is a more productive employee' - as long as they're not too comfortable or leaning towards a horizontal position by the end of the day. However the serious effect of poor equipment is the number of work days that could be lost due to repetitive strain injury and disability.

A good office chair must accommodate the size of each individual. Even adjustable chairs should be available in different sizes to begin with. Special ergonomic chairs provide such an approach, featuring adjustable armrests, lumbar support and tilt tension. Thus, small or large persons alike will be safely and comfortably seated, the chair being adaptable to their own proportion and preferences.

Functionally, the ideal ergonomic performance of a chair includes good support throughout the body no matter what position a person chooses to assume while seated in it. Of course, there are some tasks for which the individual must be upright, and others that allow for more relaxed seating. It is important that the office chair is capable of adjusting to these changing positions, as remaining in the same position too long can cause risk of repetitive stress injury. This is particularly true these days when office workers spend so much time at their computer - a new phenomena of injuries have crept up over the last 20yrs, with wrists, backs and necks (and even DVTs in some!) all starting to crack under the pressure of being stuck in the same position, or making the same movement every day.

The chair should allow for posture change while still providing the body with full support. There should be no position in which the spine, neck or legs feel uncomfortable or pinched while seated, in fact it's time to go square, or at least half square - right angles is how we should be sitting. Chairs are available that employ a suspension technology, assuring proper weight distribution from seat to back as the chair is straightened or reclined. This eliminates problems with stressed ouy pressure-points and impeded blood flow. Many ergonomic chairs now have unique tilt technology which ensures proper distribution from seat to backrest, while ankles, knees, and hips move naturally without disturbing the users concentration. This should help eliminate stress related injuries.

Modern office furniture should also be sensitive to the environment - there's no point going to great lengths to create a paperless office to then deck it out with unfriendly furnishings! Look for a chair that is made from (or the majority of the chair made from) recycled materials and also chairs where parts of the chair that will wear out more quickly are easily recyclable and replaced.

Aesthetically, the modern office requires a chair that is highly functional yet does not appear clunky or boxy and does not take up too much space. The Herman Miller Aeron chair or Corrigo ergonomic chairs will fit into any office environment large or small, with the needs of the user in mind.

Good office furniture is a health essential in the worker’s life. Why not explore the benefits of environmentally sensitive, functional and comfortable office furniture today?