How do you choose the best office chairs? Office chairs are an expected part of any corporate or home office setting. They’re everywhere and they’re important.
Why?
Sitting on an office chair isn’t a passive activity. WebMD notes that extended times of sitting will “wreck your back” and urges readers to use ergonomic chairs.
Yet, most of our workdays are spent sitting.
Think of people driving on any of the freeways in Los Angeles, Orange County, or the Inland Empire. We’re sitting in the driver’s seat, but we’re often tense navigating traffic, especially if we think we’re going to be late for a meeting.
How many times have you or someone you’ve seen been hunched over the steering wheel? Moving from a car seat to an office chair isn’t always a pleasant experience.
Our bodies are whole units and the wrong posture in a wobbly chair will stress the lower back muscles, knees, and elbows. If a laptop isn’t at the right height, then gravity pushes on our necks causing additional strain.
The chair is the foundation for an employee’s well-being and provides needed support for them to comfortably complete their tasks.
Principles for Choosing the Right Office Chair
A chair should comfortably support a person’s body weight and movements. You should be able to recline easily and maintain back support.
Photo: AMQ Tizu Chair
Ergonomic chairs let a user relax in a neutral body position which is the position the spine is in when standing. A neutral position means there’s no neck tilt. A quality ergonomic chair achieves this with three components:
- Adjustable lumbar support
- Adjustable arms
- Reclining backrest
Now, a word about lumbar support.
There are five vertebrae in your lower back, also called the small of your back, that make up the lumbar spine which supports your body’s weight, surrounds and protects your spinal cord, and allows for a wide range of body motions.
Lumbar support reduces stress on your spine and can correct issues like slouching.
Photo: Friant Vektor Chair
Not all office chairs have proper lumbar support so know what you need.
Choosing Office Chairs for Functionality
All chairs should be comfortable, offer support, and be matched with the person’s job function. Let’s look at key positions in an office and understand what they do.
- Executives spend time planning, meeting, and making decisions.
- Receptionists facilitate communication, primarily from the outside to employees inside the company.
- Managers who oversee people and project managers who oversee processes might alternate sitting for a few hours and meeting at their desks with others or moving to a separate location.
- Creatives like graphic designers or programmers may want long hours to create and finish tasks with limited interaction either with clients or internal staff.
- Vendors and clients coming to the office need comfortable seating in the lobby area before sitting either at someone’s workstation or in a designated meeting area.
Photo: ERG International Aristo Crossfire Lotus Cube Plus Series
Other needs for chairs are in breakrooms, and for training sessions or gatherings in specific spaces like conference rooms.
Photo: 9 to 5 Hag Capisco Chair
Now let’s look at the best seating solutions from 9 to 5, a leading manufacturer of ergonomic chairs and more—they’re local to the Southern California market.
9 to 5 Seating
Many chairs are cross-functional. 9 to 5 Seating is a leading manufacturer of office chairs and was a 2022 Good Design Award winner. Granted by The Chicago Athenaeum, an international Museum of Architecture and Design, the prize recognizes innovative industrial, product, and graphic designs worldwide.
9 to 5 Seating is committed to excellence in ergonomic design and quality while keeping chairs budget-friendly. Look more closely at some select models.
Photo: 9 to 5 Seating Cortina Chair
The Cortina is an executive chair that can also work well in a traditional conference room setting.
It has subtle curves along the back and the seat provides continuous support and comfort that eliminates pressure points.
Photo: 9 to 5 Agent Chair
Photo: 9 to 5 Aria Chair
Need a welcoming chair for guests? Look at the Indy Chair, with 15 degrees of flexible back recline and lets the user stretch when seated for long periods.
A statement for lounge, reception, or meeting areas is the Jax Chair. It comes with low or high backs to create more privacy in seating areas.
Sometimes, you just need a stool. The Remy Stool is fun and is curved like a rocking chair to give the user a wide range of motion.
If there are specific models from 9 to 5 or other manufacturers you want to know about, but you don’t see them on the 2010 Office Furniture website, contact the team and let them know.
Trust the Track Record
Need input on planning your office space or furnishing any part of it? Get maximum productivity from your office design and furniture.
2010 Office Furniture’s staff has more than 50 years of combined expertise advising and outfitting clients who are recognized throughout Los Angeles County, Orange County, and the Inland Empire.
Contact them with your questions and possible project needs.
Read Also: Liven Up Your Virtual Meeting Rooms and Physical Meeting Spaces
Main Photo: 9 to 5 Capisco Puls Chair
Resources & Special Thanks to Respective Product Manufacturers: 9 to 5, AMQ, ERG International, Friant
