Comfort Versus Cost - Choosing a Chair

A study in Pakistan has proven that office design is essential to employee productivity. It states that comfortable and ergonomic pieces can highly motivate people and increase their overall performance. Seat selection should be thought of carefully for the office but in a similar way also for use in public places such as Church halls, village halls, community centres and school halls.

Since it is the chairs in these places that get the greatest amount of use, facility managers should really consider other factors than just cost. This includes making choices that would impact one`s health, convenience and productivity. Here are some strategies to follow when choosing the right chairs for your hall.

The Challenge

Over the past years, there wasn’t a bit of variety when it came to chair selection. UK community centres often buy folding chairs since these are great for almost any occasion. They could be used for banquets, meetings, school chairs and even for picnics. However, as more manufacturers come into the picture and as studies prove the correlation between furniture and comfort, the folding chair selection has become a more confusing decision. Community centres, village halls and church halls are now trading in their budget-friendly plastic stacking chairs, for a more comfortable folding chair. Here are some factors you need to consider before you decide to join in the band wagon

The Factors

It doesn’t have to involve statistics, but rather a clear analysis of the pros and cons. Here are a few questions to ask yourself.

Will users be comfortable?

Try getting your people involved in the selection process. Gather the comments and consider your options.

Does it promote good posture?

Health is one of the critical points in choosing a chair. Just having a backrest isn’t enough anymore. Since you are expecting to be providing for the long term, then you might as well invest in your people’s good well-being. Avoid chairs that will trigger stiff necks and headaches.

Do we need to test it?

Sometimes, conducting a trial period is a good option. This ascertains organisations with the features and benefits of a seat. Prepare a set of questions to ask your users. Let them use the chair for 2-3 days before asking for their feedback.

What are the results of the test? (User’s feedback)

How much did the chair help? Was it easier to handle – lift, carry, move from store-room to hall? Was it more comfortable? Was it heavier or lighter? Consider these points when choosing between chairs.

Is the cost worth the comfort?

Organisations vary in their needs. Some organisations don’t need to seat as many people in one place, so Comfort may be preferable over ease of use. But others such as schools may value the convenience that a folding chair provides compared to a stacking chair. In this case, the plastic folding chairs wouldn’t be such a bad idea. It all comes down to the needs of your organisation.

The decision to choose the best possible option in chair shopping can be a very intimidating tasks, but to sum up what we`ve discussed it is best to put your needs first and see how your options fit into them.