Anyone sitting in an office chair all day long will know how important it is to have a comfortable seat with proper back support. If you are setting up a business you will be weighing up costs and looking to keep your outlay to a minimum. It’s only natural at the start-up stage of the business to keep costs down. Overspend at the outset, and you could find the business is finished before it even got started.
Depending on circumstances and the type of business, start-ups can face a lot of initial expense. The cost of setting up an office, for example, isn’t cheap. There’s software, computers, phone systems and office furniture to think about, without the mention of the cost of the office space itself.
With so much to invest in, it’s easy to fall into the trap of cutting corners. This is especially so with office furniture, but, go for the cheapest brands on the market and you could be inadvertently setting yourself up for more unnecessary costs further down the line. Here are 3 reasons why you definitely shouldn’t skimp on office chairs:
1. Employee sickness
The health of employees is important to any business, but never more so than in a small start-up. At the earliest stages of a business, finding yourself a man (or woman) down for more than a day or two, could be catastrophic, either costing money to find temporary cover, or in missing crucial deadlines for clients.
According to government statistics, work related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMSD) account for 34% of all working days lost due to work related ill health. Manual handling, lifting and carrying is one of the prime causative factors in the development of back pain at work, but repetitive movement such as keyboard work or being in awkward or tiring positions are also significant factors in WRMSD development.
Fit for Work, a government funded initiative for GPs, employers and employees to help those in work or off sick, reports that back pain is a major health concern for workers and is likely to affect 80 per cent of adults in Britain during their lifetime. The impact on business is significant.
Investing in quality chairs to help prevent back pain at work is a wise decision. For an employee with a back problem you may even find it cost effective to invest in a recommended ergonomic chair for back pain.
According to a recent article in the Evening Standard, a German start-up has taken the issue of employee comfort to a whole new level with the invention of the ‘chairless chair’ designed to let employees sit wherever they like! Designed for manufacturing employees who generally spend long hours standing, the chairless chair, created by Noonee, lets workers wear a sitting support, allowing them to walk and then sit when necessary. It is also designed to help avoid strenuous postures, such as bending, squatting or crouching.
2. Employee productivity
Employee comfort is an essential ingredient in creating a productive working environment. Face the facts. Skimp on office furniture and you could be affecting your potential productivity. If an employee is in an uncomfortable position, they are more likely to shift around a lot, and become distracted from the task in hand. It’s not difficult to see how a comfortable office chair will have a positive impact on the health, well-being and productivity of your employees. Ergonomic chairs provide proper back support and reduce the possibility of back pain and muscle strain, which inevitably impact on productivity.
3. Image
When clients visit your office, you want to create the right impression. Cheap office furniture generally looks cheap. You want your office space to live up to the expectations you have built up with your clients. Unfortunately, people do judge books by their covers. Taking the time to research office furniture and invest in chairs, desks and conference room facilities that look respectable and are comfortable will show you care about the environment you are creating for your staff and your visiting clients. Your furniture speaks your values.
