Getting used office chairs for your business is an innovative and trendy office furnishing solution. First of all, it helps companies save money and help fellow enterprises that have to sell out their assets in those uncertain post-Covid times. Moreover, buying second-hand office furniture and primarily used office chairs with their mostly plastic and hard-to-recycle parts is an example of how the business community can be sustainable and help to prevent environmental pollution.
Indeed, it is impossible to imagine an office without a proper office chair. They seem essential and so day-to-day that sometimes we don't even think what a rich history an ordinarily used office chair can have.
In this article, we decided to go over 5 facts about used office chairs that may make you look differently at your office setup.
The modern office chair is technically a refurbished Barber Chair.
What do we appreciate most about our office chairs? It is, of course, the ability to adjust it and provide necessary support in all the important areas such as the back, elbows, etc. That way, we may not worry about strains or back pain even if we have to spend the whole 8-hour workday behind the desk.
By the way, it is one of the primary reasons to prefer second-hand office chairs as they are usually much easier to customize and adjust according to your needs and requirements.
But did you know that the technologies that allowed designers to create what we call a modern ergonomic office chair in the middle of the XX century existed long before in an absolutely different industry?
Invented in the mid-XIX century, Barber Chairs had all the necessary hydraulic mechanisms that allowed raising and lowering the sitting as well as adjusting the position of the back and arms. Originally those solutions were meant to make barbers` (and dentists`) work easier.
But their customers, especially those business people who had to spend a lot of time behind desks, soon enough noticed how comfortable Barbers` Chairs are with all those adjustment features.
So technically, any office chair that you see on the modern market is a refurbished office chair. First, people just took second-hand barbers` furniture and adjusted them for the offices. Later the essential mechanisms became an integral part of modern office chairs.
Charles Darwin was a pioneer of refurbished office chairs
The world-famous naturalist Charles Darwin was also a pretty demanding person. He was always looking for innovative solutions that would allow people to do things faster, be more efficient at work and at the same time remain comfortable and safe.
Failing to find an office chair that would fit his expectations, Darwin took a used office chair and added wheels to it.
Today wheels are an essential part of an office chair and modern, and we should be grateful to the famous naturalist who first chose to adjust a used office chair instead of searching for a suitable model among new items.
Used office chairs boost companies` efficiency.
Statistics show that companies that prefer second-hand office chairs to buy new furniture are at least 16% more productive than their competitors.
There may be several explanations to that:
- Used office chairs are easier to adjust, and therefore employees feel more comfortable on them and show better involvement in the work process;
- Companies that choose to get used office furniture might be more efficient setting their financial priorities;
- When businesses buy office furniture from each other or even exchange assets, it develops a certain level of networking and connection between businesses, which allows them to collaborate more efficiently in other fields.
By buying second-hand office chairs, you have more chances to have a "healthier" workplace.
Unfortunately, the designs of modern office chairs don't entirely depend on health standards. Some features are being added and taken-off office chairs according to various trends. Sometimes it leads to rather controversial designs or even deprives us of essential parts of our office chairs.
For example, armrests are disappearing from the latest designs and models of office chairs as they are considered irrational due to the fact that armrests don't allow you to sit close to the desk or tuck the chair under it entirely when you are out of the office.
In the time when people try to rationalize everything, including the workspace, such a solution may seem relevant. However, armrests are essential for protecting your posture and preventing strains and back pains.
That is why it seems like getting a refurbished office chair today; you have better chances for a perfectly safe and comfortable seat.
We spend more time sitting than we think.
According to recent research, a majority of British employees from all fields and industries sit at work. With an average 8-hour workday, most of us end up with an average of 67 sedentary days each year.
That is why it is so essential to find an office chair that is truly comfortable and meets all your demands and physical needs.
The market of second-hand office chairs is so vast today that you have more chances to find such perfect items there than endlessly search among all-alike new office chairs.
Conclusion
An office chair is an integral part of any workplace. It can be your devoted ally and a caring partner that will keep you safe and comfortable while you are moving towards your professional goals.
Your second-hand office chair may be a part of someone's success story, which will eagerly serve you on your path.