Ergonomic furniture from RBF is the only way forward in 2022

Choose ergonomic for your office team in 2022

Do you have a workforce who always seem to be complaining of back pain or RSI? If you're spending more on staff sickness and injuries than anything else, it may be time to consider the furniture you have in your office and how this could be doing more damage to your staff than you realise.

This month, RBF look into the benefits of ergonomic furniture and the importance of workstation comfort that will increase productivity and reduce staff sickness.

Your office furniture could be doing more damage than you think

Many of us who work in an office will spend prolonged periods sitting in an office chair, typing at a desk and using technology to support us in our roles. These 3 elements can put huge pressure on our bodies and if we have poor posture, can lead to health complications both immediately and in the future. Neck pain, high blood pressure, DVT and heart disease can all be attributed to sitting incorrectly as many of us do.

A study in 2019 by Contour of 2000 UK professionals shows that 78% of non-manual office workers suffer from RSI, backache and neck pain (to name but a few) as a result of sitting incorrectly. This number seems only set to increase as many of us opt to work from home where our desk space isn't monitored. For this reason, it's important to ensure your staff have comfortable and body-friendly workstations where they can sit in a position that will support their bodies and health.

Ergonomic furniture that is better for your mind and body

Ergonomic furniture is a great way of supporting your staff to reduce the stress on their bodies whilst they are at work. Ergonomic chairs provide support and comfort and far from being a luxury in the workplace, should be a necessity.

Reasons you should be upgrading your office furniture to an ergonomic design:

Support - traditional chairs, due to their lack of support, can often leave your body feeling unsupported and will put unnecessary strain on your spine. This will lead to bad posture as a result of having to overcompensate to avoid pain. Ergonomic chairs have an adjustable lumbar, meaning your staff members can align them perfectly to their comfort and workstation whilst ensuring they remain supported.

Back pain - nearly half of the participants of the Contour study reported lower back pain as a result of sitting incorrectly at work. Office chairs that have ergonomic design support your spine with a backrest that (unlike traditional chairs) go all the way up the spine offering support throughout.

Neck pain - Whilst this is more optional, modern designs of ergonomic chairs feature head support. Supporting your neck and head whilst you work will relieve and reduce the risk of neck pain and stiffness in the neck and shoulder region.

Hip pressure - We all know how it feels to sit on a hard chair for a prolonged period. Your hips, the bottom of your back and your coccyx ache, you feel stiff and this pain doesn't alleviate immediately after standing. An ergonomic chair has the padding and depth needed to support your hips and reduce pressure.

Blood circulation - by adjusting your seat to a 90-degree angle, you will get proper circulation in your legs which will prevent swelling, numbness and tingling - another big injury featured in the Contour report.

Key health benefits of ergonomic office furniture

As an employer, you should want to provide the most supportive office furniture to your staff that will increase their productivity, provide a comfortable space to work and ultimately save on costs relating to staff sickness due to injury in the workplace. Here are some top benefits to replacing your furniture with ergonomic designs:

Posture support - as discussed above, posture support is paramount to a healthy workforce and having ergonomic office furniture can support this. With a full-length design, aimed at supporting your whole body, your posture is corrected and enhanced, leading to fewer workplace health issues.

Increased productivity - your staff's workstation is where they spend up to 8 hours each day. It makes sense, therefore, that if this is a comfortable well-designed space they are likely to work more productively and more successfully.

Reduced pain - With an ergonomic chair, bodies are correctly supported throughout the day and this will lead to reduced pain as pain points will be supported and corrected. No manager wants their staff members to be in pain whilst they are working and an ergonomic position will work to reduce this.

Staff retention - If your staff feel taken care of whilst in the workplace, they are more likely to stay with you and your company. Incorrectly designed office furniture leads to workplace injuries, time off sick and a workforce that doesn't feel comfortable returning to work.

Cost-effective - Similarly to the above point, it costs employers millions of pounds every year in staff sickness due to health issues. Make sure your furniture is not the cause of this by providing the correct support to your workforce.

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At RBF, we believe that the support and comfort of your workforce are paramount to your business success. For this reason, we have a huge stock of ergonomic chairs and supportive desks all designed to provide reduced pressure and increased comfort to your staff. We guarantee you will find a design that fits perfectly with your office and team in our large warehouse based in High Wycombe, just off the M40.

RBF has been supplying offices and teams with well designed secondhand furniture for over 18 years and during this time has helped over 5000 customers with their office spaces. From standing desks to breakout furniture and conference tables, RBF has the perfect solution for your workspace.