Shopping for ergonomic furniture is much like shopping for a good pair of shoes. Sure, there are lots of pretty heels, but they’re going to squeeze your feet after a few hours, leaving you with foot pain and a host of problems down the road.
Furniture isn’t much different. Not only does a bad desk setup cramp your style, but it can also cramp your wrists, elbows, and neck. You spend 40+ hours at the office each week—make sure it’s a comfortable and cozy place to be.
Here are our best tips and product recommendations for an ergonomic office design. Your back, wrists, and teammates will thank you.
Ergonomic Standing Considerations
We love standing desks! They promote proper spinal alignment and keep you energized during the workday. Ergonomic standing solutions, such as elevated desks and work tables, enable you to freely adjust your posture and limit discomfort throughout the day. Here are some tips for productive standing positions:
- Raise the desk to just below your elbow and ensure the top third of the computer monitor is aligned with your eyeline. This allows you to look straight ahead, keeping your spine in a neutral position and shoulders relaxed.
- Adjust the monitor so it’s within one arm’s length. This position supports the wrists, aligns the upper arm with the torso, and reduces discomfort.
Ergonomic Sitting Considerations
Say goodbye to pesky tailbone pain – there’s nothing worse. The best ergonomic seating designs include:
- Adjustable chairs that allow your feet to be flat on the floor, thighs parallel with the floor, and knees bent at least 90 degrees.
- Armrests set at elbow height or dropped below desk level so your forearm is in a straight line from elbow to fingertips.
- Seats with a full back with minimal gaps, except a roughly 3-finger gap between the seat edge and the back of your knee.
If you don’t have adjustable desks and chairs, you can improve your ergonomic setup by adding a small footstool or a keyboard tray.
Monitor Arm Ergonomics
Monitor arms are essential to ergonomic computer stations. They allow you to perfectly position and adjust your computer screen to your precise eye level. This position promotes a neutral and relaxed shoulder posture, which reduces slouching, eye strain, and other potential issues that can cause discomfort, headaches, and back pain.
Our Favorite Monitor Arms
Humanscale Heavy Triple-Duty Monitor Mount (M10)
Humanscale M/Flex Monitor Arm
Humanscale monitor arm for three screens
Work Chairs
Make sure your work throne is a good one—it’s where you’ll have all your best ideas. You’ll need unparalleled lumbar and pelvis support and the ability to adjust nearly every part of the seat to meet your specific needs. The best work chairs have high backs and adjustable armrests to encourage a relaxed but neutral posture.
Our Favorite Work Chairs and Stools
Humanscale Freedom Task Chair with Headrest
Humanscale Smart Conference Chair
Herman Miller Aeron Chair
Knoll Generation Chair
Sit/Stand Workstations
Get the best of both worlds. Adjustable workstations evolve with you throughout the day. Falling asleep at your desk? Stand up! Need a break to think? Sit down! These flexible desks are especially popular with remote and hybrid work formats.
Our Favorite Adjustable Workstations
Humanscale Float Gather collaboration table
Lev by Knoll Height-Adjustable Table
Keyboard Support
Adding a keyboard tray to your workstation is a great final ergonomic touch to empower your posture and productivity. Keyboard trays are a relatively low-cost modification to bare-bones workstations that otherwise wouldn’t offer much storage or flexibility. In conjunction with other ergonomic supports, such as adjustable armrests and monitor arms, keyboard trays keep your elbows at a comfortable 90-degree angle with relaxed shoulders. Goodbye, elbow pain!
Our Favorite Keyboard Support
Humanscale 6G System With 900 Board And Swivel Mouse
Optimize Your Workplace With Benhar
It takes a skilled eye to pick out furniture that is both aesthetic and ergonomic. Pieces that won’t kill your back or wrists but still look stunning are the goldmine that Benhar specializes in. That’s why when you work with us, we take you shopping. Friends don’t let friends buy uncomfortable furniture.
As a Platinum-Certified MillerKnoll dealer and well-respected NYC firm, Benhar Office Interiors curates thoughtful, ergonomic office designs that invite you and your team to be your best selves by minimizing distractions and prioritizing your health and comfort.
We’ll work closely with you to define your budget, vision, and expectations so we can thoroughly refresh or reinvent your space to meet your exact specifications. We’re not restricted to pulling from just one brand, which allows us to create a bespoke and finely curated ergonomic office design that’s unique to you.
Interested in learning more about our furniture procurement possibilities and how they can support better ergonomics in your office? Schedule a call today!