Get the Look: Ergonomic Options

Earlier we pointed out the importance of comfort in employee satisfaction and overall productivity. One of our favorite trending products is the height-adjustable table. This desking solution provides a simple switch between sitting and standing postures throughout the day, perfect for supporting those employee's physical comfort needs. In a successful office, "the focus should be on the well-being of the individual, even in shared workspaces."

One of our designers currently utilizes the height-adjustable table from Kimball Priority in our showroom, pictured here. The push of a button simply brings the work surface to the perfect height for standing or sitting, promoting motion in the workplace known to be beneficial for health. Kimball says, "A genuinely productive and dynamic work environment doesn't have to stop short at facilitating the free passage of ideas from place to place. It can also focus on the physical needs of people to change things up (or down) throughout the day."

With Priority, healthy functionality can maintain a sleek and stylish look at the same time.

In addition to employee-friendly desks, the right chair can make a world of difference. We love the Freedom chair by Niels Diffrient from Humanscale, shown here. Designed to give the maximum ergonomic benefit, once the chair is adjusted to the sitter no further fixes are needed. Winner of ten design awards to date, the Freedom chair was made to encourage and support spontaneous movements without locks or tension springs to mess with. Special mechanisms automatically adjust to support the body throughout the day while its position sensitive headrest cradles the head while reclining and moves out of the way when sitting upright. Talk about the perfect chair for comfortable posture and essential body movement!

Come see these ergonomic picks in action in our working showroom!

Now Trending: Comfort

As a new work week starts, we wondered, "what makes a happy employee?" Though the answer isn't exactly cut and dry, one could guess a few things that may keep workers satisfied in the office. For one, studies by Alan Hedge, Ph.D., CPE, and Cornell University have shown that comfort in the office often leads to greater productivity from workers. Think about it: there must be a reason why so many young talents enjoy working from home rather than in a stuffy office.

Comfort can come in the form of ergonomic seating options, through open door policies and good moral with the management, or even in decent room temperatures. In fact, Hedge found that when office temps drop "from a comfortable 77 degrees to a chilly 68, typing mistakes increase by 74%, while typing output drops by 46%" at cooler temperatures.

When it comes to comfortable desk solutions, new height-adjustable desks are becoming increasingly popular among employees who may want the option to stand and work throughout the day. According to Hedge, during his study, "over 80 percent of workers who received a height-adjustable workstation preferred it over the traditional one. A survey also found that the average musculoskeletal discomfort index score for users of the height-adjustable workstations was 20% lower than for the users of the fixed-height desks."

Ergonomic seating options are important, as well. Along with providing comfortable, "residential" seating areas for chance meetings and employee collaboration, as mentioned before, having the right desk chair for specific employee needs is also key for maximum productivity. The correct support promotes better posture, and a happier, more comfortable employee!

Check back on Wednesday for a closer look at some of our favorite ergonomic picks.