Monthly Archives: January 2022

5 Tips to Buy the Right Desk While Working From Home

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We are living in times where people are privileged enough, and in some cases obliged, to work remotely from just about any corner on earth, including, of course, their homes. All you need to have is an internet connection and a table & chair set to work upon. But just like you can’t settle with a dial-up network for your internet needs, you can’t sit with a laptop on your lap for the rest of your work from home tenure. After a point, it becomes imperative to have a workspace that provides the much-needed ergonomic comfort that enhances one’s productivity and ability to work. This can only be achieved by investing in good home office furniture.

While most people don’t mind investing greatly in an ergonomic chair, many do undermine the importance of a good ergonomic desk. In truth, a desk forms the central element of your workspace. Investing in a high-quality office desk is a smart move as it can pay off in the form of increased productivity, which is why it is important to consider certain aspects before buying one. HNI India, a leading home office desk manufacturer, brings to you at least 5 parameters to consider while choosing the right home office desk for your workspace:

1. Size

A work desk will have a permanent real estate space occupied in the form of a laptop or a desktop. Hence, in order to keep room for other elements, it needs to be spacious and clean. The size need not be so huge that it occupies most of your room but also not very small that you can barely move your mouse on it. If there’s a file cabinet or trash cans, there should be sufficient space to accommodate everything. The ideal size is gauged taking into consideration the space available around the desk.

2. Height

When choosing the right height for your desk, you should keep in mind your height and the eye level for your laptop/desktop. Of course, a height adjustable chair can give you a little leverage to adjust your height, an overly tall or short table won’t help. As per the Cornell University Ergonomics Web, the ideal desk height for most office workers is 28 to 30 inches. An optimal way out of the height dilemma would be to invest in a height adjustable table that lets you work even at a standing height.

3. Ergonomic Design

Proper desk ergonomics involve making sure that there’s enough space for your feet, knees, and thighs. Ergonomic design ensures a healthy work posture throughout the day. If you have a short desk, making minor adjustments to it such as placing sheets underneath to bring it to optimal height can prevent muscle strain and back pain. The best way is to buy an ergonomic desk from a trusted name such as HNI India and do away with the hassles of manual adjustment.

4. Space

An office desk without sufficient storage can lead to a lot of mess and clutter. With HNI desk options such as the STAVA, you get dedicated spaces for keeping your stationery, wires, and even elements like succulents on or underneath your desk. A neatly designed furniture helps you work comfortably without letting you feel overwhelmed.

5. Material

When buying new office furniture, you want to make sure they are of good quality if you don’t plan to keep buying a new one every year. Pick ‘engineered wood’ such as the one used by HNI, which is durable, affordable, and comes in a multitude of finishes. Ensure you have laminates that are fireproof and waterproof, be careful of rough edges.

A comfortable, ergonomic workspace can help you feel and work at your best. We suggest keeping these tips in mind every time you start the workday! If you are looking to buy online office furniture, do definitely check out our e-store!

Anatomy Of A Perfect Ergonomic Office Chair

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As an office-going employee, you will find yourself spending most of your day sitting in your office chair. Hence, it makes full sense that you sit on a comfortable one. In fact, an office chair can be likened to a personal assistant - you would rather have one who provides the required support and not one who adds to your workload!

A 2018 report by workplace solutions provider ‘Steelcase’ titled 'Inside Innovation’ notes that 47% of employees want better work ergonomics. Some time back, Expedia - a global travel agency, conducted a worldwide survey where they found India to be having the highest number of overworked employees, right after Hong Kong. Indian employees worked an average of 42 hours in a week, while Hong Kong worked for 46 hours.

While cutting out on the time employees spend at work may not be an immediate possibility, we can at least make their stay at work less stressful and more fruitful which is where an ergonomic chair matters. An ergonomic office chair makes it easier for sedentary employees to do their job, it reduces their stress and removes unnecessary health hurdles that may arise from prolonged sitting. So what constitutes the anatomy of the best ergonomic chair anyway? Let’s find out.

best ergonomic chair

1. Seat height

An optimal seat height is one where you can place your feet flat on the floor. Hence, choosing a chair with an adjustable seat height is a good idea considering every person is built differently. A seat height that ranges from about 16 to 21 inches off the floor is an ideal height range for most Indian people to be seated comfortably.

2. Seat width and depth

The seat should have enough width and depth to support any user comfortably. Proper seat depth should leave 2 to 4 inches between the edge of the seat and the back of your knees. If the seat is too far ahead, it can put undue pressure on the back of the knees. Usually, 17-20 inches wide is the standard.

3. Seat tilt

Seat tilt is a feature present in all good ergonomic chairs, which allows for the correct positioning of the pelvis. Incorrect positioning of the pelvis leads to an Anterior pelvic tilt, a posture problem affecting almost everyone who sits a lot. Hence, it is recommended to keep the pelvis in a neutral position when sitting, preferably with an 80-degree angle at the hips, knees, and ankles.

4. Backrest Lumbar support

Backrest lumbar support refers to your lower back and is an important feature of an ergonomic chair. Chairs with backrest lumbar adjustment support the natural shape of the spine by aligning the shape of the chair with the curve of the spine, thereby reducing the stress.

5. Backrest recline

An adjustable backrest allows freedom to adjust and position the back in a natural position. This helps distribute weight evenly from your upper body and reduces the pressure on your spinal disk and muscles.

6. Swivel

Swivels allow lateral sideways movement negating the need to twist your body awkwardly when seated. This makes it more convenient for those suffering from lower back pain. The swivel assists with maneuverability, making it easier to reach different points of desks without excessive strain on your lower back.

7. Armrests

Armrests are meant to keep the shoulders relaxed and reduce upper body tension while seated against the desk. However, armrests should not be used when typing as this reduces overall arm movement, which in turn increases wrist movement leading to strain on the forearm muscles.

8. Headrest

An office chair with a headrest prevents you from hunching forward, scrunching your shoulders, and putting pressure on your back. They are meant to provide maximum comfort to your head, upper neck, shoulders, and upper torso while also protecting your back from injury.

9. Fabric

A chair made from comfortable fabric ensures the user’s back remains dry and avoids the accumulation of sweat on the back even with materials such as leather or velvet. Not just that, good fabric options are also capable of adding a distinct charm and cheer to the workstation in particular and the workplace in general.

10. Wheels

The main benefit of chairs with wheels is that you can move them around without the need to lift them up. This is especially helpful if your job frequently requires you to reach out for stuff that is not exactly within your arms' reach.

So is having ergonomic furniture worth the investment? Yes, absolutely!

Not only is ergonomics good for your business, but it’s also great for your employees too. As a global office furniture brand advocating health & safety, we need to be able to demonstrate the value of ergonomics through our range of office furniture. As a leading office chair manufacturer, HNI India designs and develops highly research-based ergonomic office chairs that are built to provide comfort, reduce stress & strain, and significantly boost productivity. You can even check and buy office chairs online through our HNI e-store website.