A job is now no longer purely a means to earn money, but has become decisive in positioning a person in modern society – it has become part of a person’s personality and identity. This is why we work a lot – most Britons work more than 40 hours per week. The consequences are a rapid rise in cases of illnesses due to stress and sitting still for long periods during the day with too little motion. This is costing companies billions. An attractive workplace is thus of relevance not only for reasons of prestige and health, but it also has an enormous economic significance.
Employers have a great responsibility to create working conditions in which employees feel well, remain healthy and experience a sense of appreciation. For only a workforce that feels good – both mentally and physically – is motivated, efficient and productive.
Alongside a healthy working atmosphere, the right furniture and fixtures are a decisive factor for a feeling of wellbeing at an employee’s place of work. Many companies have realised this and in recent years have invested in furnishing workplaces – air conditioning, the latest computer technology, sound insulation, modern telephone systems etc. Things have also changed with regards to desks and office chairs. Thanks to numerous studies, practically everyone now knows that we sit too much and need more motion in the workplace. For this reason height-adjustable, standard stand-up desks and ergonomic chairs are becoming an increasingly familiar part of the office landscape.
The problem here is that it is all a matter of quality, the right motion and the proper dynamics to achieve a healthy effect. For not every so-called ergonomic chair that wobbles around a bit is good for you. Unfortunately, office chairs are still standing in the shadows compared with computers, tablets and mobile phones. Whereas computers are constantly being updated with new purchases being the order of the day.
There is a distinct lack of information when selecting office chairs and a grudging budget for them, which is a fatal mistake because chairs are the central element of the office. They are sat upon for up to 10 hours a day. If the user’s posture is of the wrong kind – without motion – this can result in overweight individuals, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and chronic back problems. All of the above are enough to motivate every employer to invest in high-quality office chairs that keep you moving.
The central element for wellbeing at the workplace
For 20 years, the aeris company has been occupied with the problem of the lack of motion at the workplace. The result is the concept of 3D ergonomics, developed for active seats which support and encourage natural, self-organised motion when sitting or standing in everyday working life. This type of motion corresponds to a human being’s natural urge to move – spontaneously, intuitively and freely in all directions at any time. In this way, more motion is integrated into your daily life quite incidentally. In simple terms, during a 40-hour week in the office, aeris active seats help employees keep in motion for 40 hours a week.
The 3D active technology in the swopper and the 3Dee’s baseplate permits employees to follow each and every tiny, natural movement of their body. The seats adapt to the person sitting on them and not vice versa. The vertical movement relieves the intervertebral discs and stimulates the blood circulation. The sideways flexibility increases the radius of action, strengthens the muscles and optimises a user’s natural posture at the same time. Furthermore, the 3D joint located close to the ground provides for a natural forward tilt as soon as you make a move towards the workplace. This keeps your back straight, which makes you breathe deeper and stimulates your blood circulation – deeper breathing gets more oxygen to the brain and thus promotes better concentration and performance.
The aeris active seats are thus simple solutions, easily integrated into everyday life, to the problem of lack of motion and a great way of ensuring healthy and happy employees, less absence from work, increased productivity and enhanced performances.
Attractive employers win the competition
In the future, there will be an ever growing pressure on employers to provide optimum, healthy and attractive working conditions thanks to the demographic change. This means that employees will become increasingly older and stay longer in their jobs. Employees’ health will therefore become ever more important. Older, sick employees are absent from work for a much longer time than their younger colleagues.
On top of this, a ‘fight for talent’ is to be expected as the gifted, young generation become scarce. Employers who can offer young, qualified potential employees a working environment in which they feel good and healthy, can tap into their full potential and have the opportunity of being successful will have the best chance of winning over those young people for their company.