Offices used to have four walls but, as time moved on, open-plan moved in and, instead of having private space in which to perform one’s job, ‘one office for all’ became fashionable, making a quiet working environment a thing of the past.
Then the cubicle design arrived in the late sixties, giving a feeling of privacy but a continued problem with background noise. Described as an acoustic sieve, our understanding the difficulty of this environment probably only hits home when we phone a call centre for some kind of advice and can hear everyone else but the person that is helping us.
As office space became smaller, the computer industry seemed to respond, large monitors being replaced by flat screens and filing cabinets being replaced by CDs and pen drives. Research in America proved that by removing all the then redundant filing cabinets, offices could be smaller and the cost of renting space could be greatly reduced.
However, working in a cubicle can be very stressful, since background noise does make concentration very difficult. Personal space may now be down to a ten feet by ten feet square (although it is only three-sided), within which you have everything you need. Your office is transforming into an Ergonomic Office, so makes sence to have a good ergonomic office chair. Your ergonomic desk may now be L-shaped against two walls, so the flat screen lifted from the desk top by an adjustable monitor arm makes sense, as it not only creates more workable space but allows you to adjust its angle without exerting yourself.
Getting the best office chair for you is now paramount, as all actions will most likely be done from a sitting position. An adjustable chair should not only address appropriate back support but have swivel movement and be correctly sized to fit both the user and the designated work space.
Research has also indicated that the two most important points that need to be addressed in a successful working space are the ability to work uninterrupted and to have easy and frequent interaction with others. If these two factors are realised, team work and job satisfaction can increase by as much as twenty three percent. A cocktail office may therefore be the answer. Rather like a cubicle but with a sliding glass door, this office will improve the acoustic situation and an open door can indicate the occupant’s agreement to interruption at selected times. That same door will also have a positive psychological effect, as having one’s own office does give a feeling of importance, which often displays itself in the increased quantity and quality of work produced.
Ergonomic Office chairs – choose yours
