With the increased use of technology in the workplace, the need to sit for prolonged periods of time has increased as well. While technology was designed to make our lives easier, instead the toll of sitting has made it more difficult, at least on our bodies. This new phenomena leads back to employee wellness, and impacts us as organizations not only through sick time and missed work, but also in employee happiness and productivity.
In a previous post, we discussed if sitting versus standing really matters. Now that you’re convinced it does matter, we want to show you how some of the trends in workplace furniture are improving the health of employees. You know sitting for prolonged periods of time is bad for the body in more ways than one, but did you know that there are other common workplace scenarios that are unhealthy as well? That's about to change. We're standing up to sitting down! Here are three furniture trends impacting employee wellness:
1. Standing Desks: Multi-function desks that allow you to sit or stand (with an adjustable height) are an obvious way to counter the prolonged effects of sitting. These desks can be raised or lowered to meet needs, depending on the employee. One example is the Herman Miller Renew series. This is also an 
added benefit in the event employees share a space; they are not forced to use stationery standing desks. In addition, the desks also give associates the opportunity to choose how they want to work throughout the day.
2. Task Seating: Not all chairs are created equal. Someone visiting a workplace may have different seating needs than that of a permanent employee. While some chairs are specific for conference spaces, others like Herman Miller's Embody chair are built for prolonged seating. Task seating is a varied product offering that is dependent upon use and need.
3. Lounging Around: For workplaces that have areas for associates and clients to sit and regroup, whether for lunch or a quick meeting, lounge areas can still be ergonomical and promote employee wellness. Depending on the context in which your office operates, some lounge furniture formations may be more valuable to your workspace than others, such as Herman Miller's Celeste or Swoop collections. These products encourage employee comfort.
There are many different furniture options to help your employees sit and stay well. Contact us to learn how we can all work to improve employee wellness.
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