No matter the nature of work, a nine-to-five desk job can be gruelling. Employees may have the freedom to stretch their bodies from time to time, but they spend most of their workday on their ergonomic chairs. One estimate by SafeWork NSW stated that the average Australian office worker spends at least five hours sitting, with some spending more than eight.
Make no mistake: we at Rose Office are all for healthier workplace lifestyles. After all, we offer ergonomic sit-stand desks and office furniture that allow users to change between sitting and standing. But when you need to sit down for a period of time, the least you can do is sit on an office desk chair that can make long, arduous work hours more bearable. Here are some tips on finding a budget office chair or an executive chair your office needs.
‘Comfortable’ is Subjective
Most guides start with reviewing your workspace, but there’s a far more important step to take before anything else. It pays to know that premium chairs for other people might not be a comfortable seat for you.
Just like the saying “beauty is in the eyes of the beholder,” comfort is in one’s sense of touch. An office chair at the top of the Best list is only there because the writer has deemed it the most comfortable out of all the chairs they have tried. It’s also worth mentioning that a lot of these lists don’t rank the products in any particular order.
That isn’t to say that such articles aren’t helpful. Insights from others are always valuable in the search for the most comfortable chair (or any big-ticket purchase for that matter). But the deal closer is – and will always be – trying out the chair for yourself. Ask the seller if it’s possible to try the chair out before buying it.
If you’re on the hunt for the most comfortable office chairs in Melbourne, why not stop by one of Melbourne's largest office furniture showrooms? At Rose Office Furniture, we have an extensive range of furniture all on display in our Port Melbourne showroom, which allows customers to try before they buy.
While here, it’s a great opportunity to check out our wide range of office furniture. Contact our team ahead of time to give them time to prepare the office desk chair of your choice.
Look for Ergonomic Features
Once you have a try-before-you-buy mindset, the next step is to create and evaluate your shortlist of office chairs. Your review can be based on the following ergonomic features:
Height Adjustment
A height adjustment feature is common in office chairs for several good reasons. For starters, the ideal height setting is at the same level as the user’s knees when standing and allows them to put their feet flat on the floor or footrest when sitting. An adjustable chair enables the chair to adapt to a user’s degree of comfort.
Note that the office chair’s height affects how well the user’s legs fit into the under-desk space. Consider getting the height of said space and comparing it to how high and low the seat height range can go. If there isn’t sufficient space, it may be time to get a bigger (or an ergonomic sit-stand) desk.
Backrest Flexibility
Ergonomic office chairs should be designed to adapt to natural shifts in sitting posture, providing continuous support and comfort throughout the workday. One effective way to achieve this is by incorporating a flexible backrest that adjusts to different seating angles beyond the standard upright position. This feature allows users to recline slightly or shift their posture without losing essential lumbar support, reducing strain on the spine and promoting better posture. A well-designed, responsive backrest enhances comfort and encourages movement, which can help prevent stiffness and fatigue associated with prolonged sitting.
Lumbar Support
The lumbar or lower back region receives a great deal of pressure when sitting for a long period of time, even more when not sitting properly. If left to build up, the pressure can result in lower back pain, which the World Health Organization identifies as the single leading cause of disability worldwide.
Ergonomic task chairs have a wide range of methods of providing additional lumbar support, such as designing the backrest to conform to the user’s back or an adjustable lumbar support mechanism. Each system has its share of pros and cons, which is all the more reason to try an ergonomic option before you buy.
Armrests
The need for armrests in office desk chairs isn’t as clear-cut as you might believe. On one hand, they prop up the user’s elbows and reduce the burden on their lower back. On the other hand, they can cause shoulders to shrug and exert stress on the forearms if the armrest height isn’t set up relative to the workstation.
Even if the need for armrests is justified, there’s still the matter of choosing between fixed and adjustable armrests. Again, the more effective of the two isn’t straightforward. That said, experts advise picking one that best promotes a neutral sitting posture.
These features are by no means the only ones to consider, but they’re high on the priority list. Once you’re confident about your picks for these features, you can look into the other ergonomic design features like seat cushion material, upholstery, and adjustable headrest.
Wrapping Up
The most comfortable chair is less what other people think and more what you think. The meaning of comfort varies too much to have a definition that works for everyone. Choose your chair according to key features and, most importantly, try before you buy.