Studies Show Comfort Leads to Productive Employees
Did you ever have to sit for a long time in an uncomfortable seat – like in a waiting room, or on a long bus trip? You probably did not feel like getting much done after that. What if you had to sit like that for eight or more hours a day, five days a week… until you retire? In addition to back aches, poor circulation and other conditions, sitting in prolonged discomfort can and will drain the motivation out of otherwise productive workers, even if they may not notice it.
Carpal tunnel, back & neck problems and other physical conditions that come from poor seating options are more than just health issues – they are productivity killers. Back in 2001, the National Research Council estimated that over 1 million people in the United States suffered from work-related musculoskeletal disorders that resulted in lost time from work at a cost of around 45-54 billion dollars per year.
Solution: Ergonomic Office Space
In addition to reducing lost time and money due to injury and healthcare costs, ergonomic office spaces have also demonstrated an increase in worker productivity overall. Yeah, I know, we sell ergonomic office chairs so of course we will say things like that. You want statistics? Here you go…
In 2003 a joint study by the smart folks at the Upjohn Research Institute, the University of Texas, York University and Health and Work Outcomes, conducted a to measure the effectiveness of ergonomic office spaces on productivity. The study divided over 300 employees into three test groups. One group acted as a control group and used their regular office furniture. Another group received a 90-minute training about office ergonomics. A third group got to sit in a highly adjustable chair, along with the 90-minute training.
The ergonomic chair had adjustable armrests, a flexible back support, and a seat that slid forward when reclined. Sounds a lot like this recliner. The study found that the employees who received both the ergonomic chair and the ergonomics training had a lower level of negative symptom growth throughout the day and a total increase in productivity of 17.7%.
Now that you have some studies to show that having happy and healthy employees means an increase in overall productivity and profit - check out some of our best selling ergonomic office chairs and be the best boss ever.