U.S. Adults Report There's Not a Love Affair Going On With Their Office Chair

New National Survey Indicates They're Also Not Taking This Sitting Down

MUSCATINE, Iowa, June 6 /PRNewswire/ -- U.S. adults spend a lot of time in
their office chairs ... and they report it's not exactly quality time, either.
(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080606/CLF012 )
A new study on the comfort and style of office chairs in the U.S.
workplace by market research company Harris Interactive(R) found that only 17
percent of U.S. office chair users(1) feel their office chair is very
comfortable.
The results are from a recent nationwide online survey - conducted for
contract furniture designer and manufacturer Allsteel Inc. - that found 32
percent of office chair users say their office chair is actually
uncomfortable, and more than half, 57 percent, would love to replace their
current chair.
This latest study uncovered more seating sadness as well, with 60 percent
of office chair users admitting they have some type of complaint about their
office chair. About half (51 percent) complain about various comfort and
ergonomics issues, another 25 percent cite concerns about adjustability and 12
percent indicate they were unhappy with their chair's style - or lack thereof.
Choosing the right office chair is imperative, according to Scott
Openshaw, Human Factors and Ergonomics Manager for Allsteel. He notes that
comfort is the key to anyone who sits in a chair for long periods of time.
"When we're comfortable, the absence of the chair's awareness lets people
concentrate on the task at hand; in essence, comfort equals productivity. But
some chairs don't provide that comfort because their design may not properly
support the back, neck and shoulders," Openshaw says.
The survey's findings seem to confirm this assessment. Because when it
comes to comfort issues, 34 percent of office chair users report inadequate
lumbar (lower back) support, 19 percent said their chair is generally not
comfortable, 12 percent noted their chairs' arms prevent them from getting
close to their desk and another 10 percent said their chairs' arms location
doesn't provide adequate support.
But what was the reaction from the 77 percent of office chair users who
have chairs with ergonomic or adjustable features built into or available to
them? There is still a significant degree of displeasure, according to the
study. Even with ergonomic features, 23 percent note that their chair does not
fit their individual body size or type, another 24 percent say their chairs'
controls or adjustments are difficult to find and 29 percent complain that
once found, the controls are difficult to adjust.
Openshaw notes that the principles of ergonomics (a science focused on
human fit and decreased fatigue and discomfort through product design) are
often available, and even promoted, for advanced seating but can be difficult
or non-intuitive to use. As a result, they do not provide their users the
comfort they need.
"A number of today's advanced chairs have so many knobs and levers that
users are intimidated by their apparent complexity. Because of this perceived
difficulty, many workers don't even bother using them any more and end up
sitting in an unadjusted chair that makes them uncomfortable throughout the
day," he continues.
So, what to do if you're unhappy with your office chair? Comfortable
workers seem to be more productive workers - as nearly half of the survey
respondent office chair users (47 percent) agree they would be more productive
if their chair was more comfortable. As a result, Allsteel recommends picking
a new office chair that provides comfort as a priority and that means healthy
movement, proper support and adjustments that are not only easy to find, but
also easy to use.
For complete survey results, more information on ergonomic seating or
Allsteel's new Acuity seating, visit www.allsteeloffice.com.
(1) U.S. adults ages 18+ who spend at least one hour in an office chair
per week (n= 1,987).
SOURCE Allsteel

Mary Palmer, Allsteel, +1-563-272-3876, palmerm@allsteeloffice.com