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New concept of workplace design aims to meet users phisical and psychological needs, with the intention of improving and preserving health and development of human potentials.
The majority of office workplaces imply long term sitting at the computer and the consequences are more and more obvious. Number of people (much worse, children) that have spinal problems caused by inadequate working conditions is alarmingly increasing. Statistical data in Germany show that 80% of office employees suffer from some kind of deformity of the spine. Situation isn't better in Croatia either.
Pressured by paying expensive sick leaves and strict regulations, employers in highly developed countries are starting to look for a solution to this problem in adequate furniture ergonomically customized for long term use. False beliefs that all that is necessary to sit properly is any kind of relatively comfortable chair and a big enough desk, are being rejected.
In Croatia, where managements of many firms want to save money while buying chairs, we deal with the problem of ineffective and dissatisfied employees. Very few firms and public institutions when publishing a tender ask for experts advice, and even less is ready to include experts in committees for evaluation of delivered furniture or consider the experts opinion and advice in the early stage of preparing the tenders.
Inkea develops office furniture programs for any kind of office: from one person office to open space offices for a great number of employees. In many companies where work is organized in shifts, a few people of different gender and constitutions work at the same workplace. Furniture that they use should be adjustable to its users. The most important thing is quick height adjustability of chair and table, and then the option of adjusting other ergonomic parameters.
No matter how big the office and the number of workers at one desk is, the possibility of changing the height of the desk is proven to be a great advantage. In more developed countries this has been a legal obligation for some time now. Joining the European Union our standards will become ergonomically more demanding, and the responsibility of employers for employees possible impairments and diseases caused by inadequate furniture will increase.
There are numerous technical solutions for mechanical regulation of work table height. To
be ergonomically correct, table height regulation of 15 cm when sitting and working is
enough for anyone to find optimal working height, but this doesnt fully eliminate the
danger of spinal problems when working long hours without some stretching or exercising.
People who often work with computer 10 or even more hours a day should change their
work postures more often.
Work tables whose worktop can be lifted from 64 to 130
cm through synchronized electro motors are solutions
that provide fast and simple posture changes. In
combination with suitable work chairs it is possible to
extremely relieve prolonged working.
To encourage the use of these ergonomic solutions, Inkea
implemented height adjustable tables into its production
and offered it to the market.
According to our discoveries, in Croatia only Ericsson
Nikola Tesla fully implemented height adjustable tables
into their offices as a part of standard workplace
equipment, thereby combining their furniture with
standards of their mother firm. The new Regulation will
soon force other employers in Croatia to pay more
attention to furniture that they buy for their employees, because this new regulations will soon have to be applied everywhere.
Office chairs in which people sit and work 8 or more hours a day should stimulate active and dynamic sitting. This sort of chair can be used very well when a great degree of freedom of movement is needed, like working with machines etc.. The results of medical research have proved that chairs with three dimensionally moveable seats and backrests have greater advantages against ordinary inflexible office chairs. Sitting on these chairs stimulates activation of back and other important muscles which, in a relatively short period, results in reduction of pain in lumbar spine.
Well known German office chair factory Topstar constructed several
models of chairs for active sitting which, unlike usual office chairs
that are complicated to use, offer a well balanced construction with
characteristics of high quality office chairs.
When developing these models, the constructors paid a lot of
attention to gender differences and constructed a chair Lady Sitness,
customized for women.
During 2005 and 2006 an 8 months research has been conducted to
validate the quality and medical benefits of Topstar office chairs. A
group of 74 people 20 to 64 years old consisted of 38 men and 36
women that signed in University of Regensburg Institutes Orthopedic
Clinic and local pharmaceutical company.
To balance these groups, detailed testing and measuring was conducted on examinees to ratify a precise diagnosis. Examinees were split into two groups of 37 members. Experimental group used chairs for active sitting, and control group used seemingly the same chairs but those of standard qualities without three dimensionally moveable seats. Examinees spent at least six hours a day in these chairs doing usual office work during five days in a week. They weren't allowed to use any kind of medication or medical treatments two weeks before and during the testing.
Major results showed:
- pain was reduced on 66 percent of examinees
- impairments in everyday life were reduced 50 percent
- significant improvement of general health up to 39 percent
Even though Topstar chairs without moveable parts weren't subject of this testing, they showed very good results in control group because of their very good ergonomic characteristics and the fact that the group obviously used very bad chairs before these.
This study confirmed high efficiency of using quality chairs for active sitting while doing office work and the results helped designing the newest models of chairs with top-quality ergonomic characteristics.
How much does sick leave because of spinal problems cost an employer?
- Long term and intolerable back pain prevent the worker to work efficiently.
- Job satisfaction and motivation decrease.
- Dissatisfaction reflects on human relations.
Finally, worker needs expensive treatment that lasts 20 to 30 days what burdens the firms budget a lot. The amount of money paid for this workers treatment is big enough to fully equip one workplace (chair for active sitting and height adjustable table), or at least three top-quality chairs for active sitting.
Recent issues of office environment require the redesign of work environment. Contemporary office needs to be formed by the new conceptual design. Looking at a man as a complete being in a symbiotic relationship with its work environment, contemporary workplace becomes the accumulator of creativity, positive emotions and productivity.
The suggested concept is called Wellness Office. The name has been chosen to accent the importance of moving and activity when working long hours sitting, as well as emphasize the existence of elements of a workplace that need to be matched with the results of anthropometric measurements and ergonomic demands.
Elements of Wellness Office equipment investigate the source of stress at workplace, and reduce it by activating all senses: through colors, lights, sounds, scents and selection of furniture that ensures reduction of unpleasant and hurtful sensations that are a consequence of long term static postures.
Wellness Office partitions work space: classic work space with desk and chair is reduced, and expansion of communication space is suggested - space for meetings and socializing (conference unit), isolation and pondering (creative unit), and relaxation (office club).
Wellness office contains:
I. Work units with height adjustable tables and chairs for active sitting
II. Creative unit
III. Conference unit
IV. Office club
Work unit with height adjustable tables
In case the work is computer associated it is necessary to ensure adequate furnishing and use ergonomic solutions that reduce the possibility of hand, neck and spine injuries. Ergonomics experts recommend two to four posture changes, sitting to standing position (with standing phase not being longer than 20 minutes). Static sitting and standing should equally be avoided.
As a solution, Inkea offers work tables whose worktop can be lifted from 64 to 130 cm height by synchronized electro motors, which enables quick and simple posture changes. In combination with adequate work chairs it is possible to extremely relieve prolonged work.
Inkea presented simple operative desks as well as a program of sophisticated configurations for management offices.
Office chair for active sitting
Along with height adjustable tables the dynamics of movement and posture changing is also achieved with office chairs for active sitting. Quality chair has to allow seat height adjustments, have armrests, sufficiently high backrest, synchro mechanism and, if possible, a mechanism that allows active sitting.
Inkea suggested chairs with innovative Dondola® and Body Balance Tec® mechanisms for Wellness Office. Sitting on that kind of chair activates back and sitting muscles which, in a relatively short period, results in reduction of pain in lumbar spine. Good characteristics of these chairs are also confirmed by the results of spinal disease prevention research conducted by Top Star, Germany.
Dondola® and Body Balance Tec® systems incorporated into healthy chairs have the following characteristics:
- seat and backrest follow the movement of the body so that one always sits in ideal posture
- three dimensional movement of the seat stimulates motion and strengthens back muscles, keeping them elastic and
flexible to support the spine
- ensures better circulation
- long term sitting doesnt tire that much
- movement reduces stress and muscle pain
- preserves mental vitality
Creative work unit
Creative room is a place of solitude where one is protected from outer stimulations, surrounded by pleasant relaxing music, comfortably laying on the armchair enabling him to work creatively. The atmosphere where one is surrounded by the scent of lavender, the sound of the sea or birds singing stimulates creativity, provides better focus on the work mission, all in all increases productivity.
Conference unit
Conference unit represents perfect open space for meetings, briefings or consultations. Flexible sofa with coffee table gives a certain feeling of relaxation, home-like ambience, and the composing elements can simply be rearranged.
Office club
Going to work should be almost like going home to a warm and pleasant environment. Office club is a place with an integrated, fully functional kitchen, for drinking coffee with colleagues in the morning when one comes to work, or checks emails undisturbed, away from others. This provides a quiet, relaxed start of the day. Office club can be a place to rest and read newspapers, magazines etc., or have a work meeting.
Our fundamental premise is that prolonged and static sitting hinders both health and productivity, and results in increased physical and mental stress.
We believe that seating is not just about sitting ergonomics, functional design or usage of a chair. In our view, seating constitutes an integrative and dynamic working-living space that consolidates, synchronizes and excels physical posture (body), mental and thinking processes (mind) and self-development (spirit).
This concept advocates the changing of sitting and relaxing positions regularly; while working and on breaks; whenever feeling stressed, tired or unfocused.
This novel multi-position seating concept is inspired by Yoga wellness principles, a well known and practical tradition. In this context, we believe in, and acknowledge the holistic relationship between improved health and mental mindset, for increased creativity and productivity.
General benefits
Energizing - physical and mental energy, less tiredness
Strengthening - vigour, fitness, physical health
Regulating - eating habits, weight adjustment
Balancing - relief from stress, confidence
Relaxing - increased internal calmness
Stabilizing - concentration, alertness, awareness
Wellness - a feeling of overall, holistic wellness, integration and satisfaction
Sitness 100/110
SITNESS 100/110 combines well known ergonomics of conventional sitting with Yoga sitting and relaxation poses, thereby improving wellness while enhancing productivity, both at work and on short breaks.
The product enables a variety of sitting and relaxation positions, thus encouraging the changing of positions regularly.
SITNESS 100
SITNESS 110
CHAIR FEATURES
Backrest reclining and adjustable headrest - for crossed legged restorative reclined positions, enhancing relaxation, calmness, breathing and blood circulation.
Frontal flipping mechanism creates a lowered footrest support that enables comfortable and cross legged sitting and other casual and leisure positions, thereby broadening and opening of the pelvic girdle and lower limb joints.
Tapered backrest design combines pelvic and spinal support with vertical shoulder openings and enhanced breathing in all poses.
Sitness 200
SITNESS 200 combines well known ergonomics of conventional sitting with Yoga sitting poses, thereby improving wellness while enhancing productivity, both at work and on short breaks.
The product enables a variety of sitting positions, thus encouraging the changing of positions regularly.
SITNESS 200
Dondola seating joint, enabling three dimensional movement of the seating surface (swinging effect).
Adjustable footrest mechanism creates a lowered footrest that enables comfortable and cross legged sitting and other casual and leisure positions, thereby broadening and opening of the pelvic girdle and lower limb joints.
Low backrest design combines free movement with horizontal back openings for enhanced breathing in all positions.
