Evolution of Office Chairs

To track to the evolution of the office chair is to also take a glimpse at how our lives have changed over the centuries. As our society became less agrarian and started the climb towards the Industrial Revolution, businesses had to rethink the work environment and develop new tools to aid employees. The office chair was created in order to solve the fundamental problem of accommodating employees working long hours in an office. Today, the modern office worker spends 40+ hours toiling away and much of that time is spent in a chair, making the search for the right combination of form and function more important than ever before.

Introduction of Ergonomic Design for Office Chairs

1976 marked the year that designers began to think about the health and wellness of the worker instead of simply viewing the chair as a took for productivity that ultimately benefited the business. The Ergo was meant to increase blood flow to the legs and provide spinal support. It also incorporated more adjustable features in order to create individualised comfort experience. Designers were finally taking into account just how much time the modern worker was spending sitting and trying to improve functionality through ergonomic designs.

Eventually, the office chair circled back to its Roman roots and once again became a status symbol. Only the most senior executives or companies invested in expensive ergonomic office chairs. In 1994 the Aeron Chair with a meshed backing was introduced. Those looking to make a statement gravitated towards this distinctive looking mesh chair that represented forward thinking in a time when the internet was fueling rapid innovations and changes in the work place.

The Future of Office Chairs…

More people than ever work in an office environment that requires long periods of sitting at a desk, the future of the office chair is more uncertain than ever. As people become more aware of the consequences of a sedentary lifestyle and sitting for eight hours a day, they are trading in their office chairs for more active options such as Electric Sit – Stand Desks.

From bad posture and trouble thinking to organ damage and soft bones, sitting for too long and sitting improperly comes with a wide range of potential side effects. White the right office chair can certainly help to combat some of these consequences, workers also have to make a conscious effort to stand at their desk, walk and stretch throughout the day.