Tips On Selecting Office Seating

By Author: Mel Joelle
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According to an article in Office Furniture & Design, seating accounts for more than 25 percent of the office furniture industry. The office chair is where workers spend most of their working lives, says Mark Bassil, vice president and co-founder of MAiSPACE, a modular office furniture manufacturer based in Mt. Olive, NJ. Yet seating is too often overlooked when purchasing office furnishings for workspaces, conference rooms, teaming and reception areas. This is unfortunate because seating is arguably the most important piece of the office furniture market simply because of its impact on workforce productivity.

Productivity should be the guiding factor in selecting seating systems, Bassil maintains. Especially in a down economy, management should pay close attention to getting the most out of their workforce and in providing a comfortable environment that helps retain productive staff, he says. Ergonomically correct designs are critical to productivity because an uncomfortable or tired worker is an unhappy worker, a direct contributor to lower productivity.

This concern is addressed in the article, which ...
... reports that if a worker loses ten minutes per day in productive work because of fatigue, it results in a loss to a company. A formula illustrates the cost of lost productivity: 10 minutes lost per day @ 480 available work minutes per day = 2 percent. Annual salary x 2 percent = annual cost of lost productivity.

Durable, Affordable Ergonomic Seating
There is no question that the contract furniture industry is paying close attention to ergonomics, and MAiSPACE is very much a part of the action, Bassil says. Unlike many of our competitors we have focused in on the cost issues faced by company management as it seeks ergonomically correct seating that is both durable and affordable - and in this economy ‘affordable' is high on the criteria checklist. Our MAiCHAIR line addresses this head on while delivering high style to boot.
The MAiCHAIR line meets or exceeds OSHA guidelines on office chair components. Passive ergonomics is achieved through an engineered plastic shell that molds to the shape of the individual user without the complicated adjustments that research shows are almost never used.

In contrast to complicated adjusting procedures common to most office chairs, the MAiCHAIR adjusting mechanism is a study in simplicity. It consists of one easy-to-operate Syncro-Tilt mechanism providing adjustable tension resistance, variations in pneumatic seat height and multi- position tilt-lock control to assure the comfort of all occupants, Bassil says.
Thighs and hips are supported by a well-padded seat cushion with a waterfall edge to improve blood flow. Padded armrests are adjustable up and down allowing shoulders to relax and elbows to stay close to the body. Another feature normally associated with more costly task seating is a backrest that easily allows the user to recline 20 degrees from the vertical while supporting the back in a variety of seated postures. Lumbar support is height adjustable and it is able to move forward and backward. The 5-position headrest adjusts to prevent static loading of the neck and shoulder muscles and can accommodate even the tallest user.

MAiCHAIR Options
MAiCHAIR is available in task and executive options. Fully adjustable movable seating is available with or without a 5-position headrest. Either option comes with a 5-star base in a choice of lightweight reinforced plastic or elegant polished aluminum fitted with urethane casters. Rounding out the offering are ergonomic side or guest chairs available with or without arms.

A broad selection of fabrics and colors complements the rich variety available for the MAiSPACE stackable/de-stackable panels that are attached to our modular office structural components, Bassil states. This gives the option to color code office layouts to identify various business activities; to mix and match colors, or to give staff the option of picking a favorite fabric, color or texture. Another unusual feature of MAiCHAIR is that when fabrics begin to show wear, cushions can easily be removed and replaced without the use of tools.

Premium Quality Task Seating Without a Premium Price
Despite boasting features equal or superior to the most expensive seating on the market, the MAiCHAIR line is eminently affordable due to the MAiSPACE approach to design, manufacturing and logistics within the contract furniture industry. Our price points across our entire line of modular office furniture systems and fittings average 40% below our competitors, Bassil says. That's why we can furnish offices starting at $12 - $15 per square foot installed - regardless of the number of units ordered.
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