Ingenious ergonomic ideas for office workers

Do you have an office job? If so, you are one of 17.6 million people who spend a great deal of time behind a desk every day⁽¹⁾. This number keeps on growing. Desk work often leads to a lack of movement and people working in such jobs frequently do not get enough exercise. Meanwhile a lack of exercise is considered the number one risk factor for many ailments, in particular back pain and cardiovascular disease. The human body is simply not built for hours of sitting. Office furniture concepts that enable agile work, even in jobs that are typically performed sitting down, are therefore urgently needed.

Light-footed, flexible, dynamic

Agile work is considered the concept of the future in many fields. Well-being at work and the mental agility of employees will be just as important for a company's success in the future as their social satisfaction and their physical and mental health. This in turn means that more complex workplace concepts are needed to account for human diversity.

The central assumption of the agile work concept is that requirements are always changing and rapid adaptability is the key to success. In day-to-day work, this means that projects are divided into short segments called sprints. Self-organised teams work together in these sprints, continuously improving their working processes to handle complex tasks so that a productive result can be obtained purposefully and quickly. However, this future-oriented concept cannot be realised while always sitting behind the same desk. An agile office furniture concept is needed.

How an agile office furniture concept works

Movement and the office have long seemed mutually exclusive. But with corresponding ergonomic furniture that is multifunctional and supports mobile applications, a great deal more movement is fact possible – which is particularly beneficial for back health. The following products transform a conventional office into a smart working environment that makes room for physical, mental and social movement:

1. Height-adjustable active-sitting chairs for dynamic sitting and movement
2. Multi-purpose conference chairs for spontaneous use
3. Pommel horse seats to briefly rest your legs
4. Lounge furniture for relaxed moments
5. Table systems for a variety of uses

1. Height-adjustable active-sitting chairs for dynamic sitting and movement

First off, if you are using a classic office chair that can be adjusted to your needs, you are not doing anything wrong. Yet there are active-sitting chairs available today that are flexible in application and bring more movement to the office routine. They have to be adaptable to various parts of the body, permit movements in all directions and nevertheless be stable. The back and abdominal muscles are exercised thanks to the small compensating movements you make to stabilise yourself in the active-sitting chair, continuously loading and unloading the intervertebral discs and musculature (preventing muscle tension). This stimulates the circulation, prevents fatigue and helps maintain the ability to concentrate.

2. Multi-purpose conference chairs for spontaneous use

Multi-purpose chairs are perfect for quick meetings, briefly taking notes and group work. Their seat height, depth and width is ideal for short-term sitting. Multi-purpose chairs have to support the torso and promote active sitting with an angled seat bottom. A spring-loaded seat bottom similar to a cantilever chair is beneficial on a multi-purpose chair. This absorbs impacts while sitting down and prevents a rigid sitting posture so you can be relaxed while sitting.

3. Pommel horse seats to briefly rest your legs

The pommel horse seat is not just an eye-catcher but very useful in every office. It helps you rest your legs during short conversations, in meetings or presentations. As a mix of chair and standing aid, it has to let you support yourself with an open angle of the hip joint. When it also encourages you to spontaneously reposition yourself, that is another major benefit and adds vitality to any space.

4. Lounge furniture for relaxed moments

Relaxation is important. We need time to catch our breath, recharge, come up with fresh ideas and prepare for the next task. Naturally this happens much more easily and effectively with back-friendly lounge furniture. The backrest has to be angled slightly to the rear. This results in an opening angle considerably over 90 degrees in the hip joint and positions the torso's centre of gravity behind the body's centre of gravity. Both are essential for truly relaxed “hanging out”. The backrest and seat bottom have to harmonise so that entirely different people have a sufficient supporting area for the thighs. This guarantees good sitting pressure distribution.

5. Table systems for a variety of uses

Standing up to work part of the time is becoming increasingly popular. Efficiency is improved, especially in group work. Here the agile work concept offers various solutions that can be used individually. Height-adjustable desks that are equally suitable for sitting and standing tasks are probably the most familiar.

High tables used individually or in combination are another good option. With a height of 105 to 110 cm, they are well suited for almost all body heights. However, they do need to have a support for the feet. This allows you to change the supporting leg every now and then so you can stand easily. Locking casters ensure easy adaptability to the respective work situation. By the way, such casters are advantageous on all tables used in this concept. Tables that can be used as a worktop or presentation space are one example. Casters allow them to be repositioned easily for any work situation.

¹ - https://www.zeit.de/arbeit/2019-03/bueroarbeit-sitzen-arbeitsplatz-auswirkungen-gesundheit-bewegung

Minimum requirements:

• General product safety is assuredt
  
  Products that should be included in the “agile work” room concept:
• a) Various seating systems
  • High chairs that meet the existing AGR criteria
  • Active-sitting chairs for dynamic sitting and movement
    • Adjustable seat height
    • Comfortable seat bottom
    • Multi-dimensional mobility of the seat bottom
  • Conference chairs (multi-purpose chairs) that meet the existing AGR criteria
  • Pommel horse seat
    • Relief for the legs (support)
    • Ensures an open sitting angle (hip joint higher than knee joint)
    • Promotes spontaneous position changes while sitting
  • Lounge furniture for temporary physical and mental relaxation
    • Sitting position with open angle in the hip joint
    • Harmonious seat depth for good sitting pressure distribution
    • Sufficient height of the backrest
• b) Various table systems
  • High tables
    • Fixed standing height suitable for persons of different sizes
    • Comfortable footrest
    • Locking casters
    • Easy to move
  • Conference tables
    • Fixed standing/sitting height suitable for persons of different sizes
    • Easy to push, or with casters
    • Sufficient size for at least 6 people (approx. 70 cm side length per person)
    • Alternatively, smaller high table elements for large and small groups
    • Variable combinations
    • Locking casters
    • Sufficient size (approx. 70 cm side length per person)
  • Bench tables for classic seminar situations or conferences
    • Fixed table height approx. 740 mm
    • Variable table heights according to EN 527 12011 08
    • Sufficient size (approx. 70 cm side length per person)
  • Multi-function tables
    • Individually adaptable table height
    • Quick and easy to adjust with little noise
    • Intuitive control elements
    • Legroom requirements are met
    • Usable as whiteboard/presentation surface
    • Suitable for mobile use
• c) Mobile partitions
  • Locking casters
  • High flexibility
  • User-friendly handling
  • Surfaces for writing and pinning

 

Also useful

• Trolley for mobile whiteboard
• Height-adjustable work tables that meet the existing AGR criteria
• Desk on casters for temporary use
• Screen for working privately
• Storage space that can be locked
• Equipment to promote motor activity (for example, mini trampoline, activation boards, flexible bands and the like)
• Digital conference systems
• Cleaning concept

• Sedus conzept se:lab
  consisting of these components
  
  • turn around high chair
  • turn around swivel chair
  • se:fit standing seat
  • se.lab hopper pommel horse seat
  • se:lab high desk workshop table
  • se:lab high desk agil workshop table
  • se:lab bench table
  • se:lab fold folding table
  • se:lab tableboard whiteboard table
  • se:lab board whiteboard
  • se:lab rack easel
  • se:lab sofa
  • se:lounge (armchair + optional footrest)

Manufacturer

Sedus Stoll AG
Christof-Stoll-Str. 1
79804 Dogern
GERMANY
Phone +497751/84 300
Fax +497751/84 61 300
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
www.sedus.de