Start with who will use it
A chair for a short visitor meeting and a task chair for a working day have different briefs. Write down how the chair will be used, whether it will be shared and any individual requirements to discuss. A photograph cannot tell you whether a chair fits the user.
Try the chair with the workstation
HSE’s posture guidance discusses seating, screen and keyboard positioning as parts of the same setup. A chair should be considered alongside the desk and the work, rather than in isolation. Read HSE’s illustrated posture guidance.
When trying a chair, check whether its adjustments are easy to find and understand. An adjustment that nobody knows how to use is unlikely to help the working day.
Look beyond the specification list
- Can the seat and back be adjusted appropriately for the user?
- Do the arms work with the desk and the tasks?
- Does the chair suit the floor surface and available space?
- For shared desks, can different users reset it easily?
- What upholstery, maintenance and warranty options apply?
For a team order
Do not assume identical chairs will suit every person. Discuss the balance between a consistent appearance and individual needs. Check the exact quoted specification: similar-looking chairs can have different mechanisms or accessories. Ask about any opportunity to assess suitability before committing to a larger order.
Connect the purchase to the brief
If seating is being changed because of workstation difficulties, consider DSE assessment requirements and agreed actions first. If the whole room is being updated, use free planning and design to consider chairs, desks and circulation together.
Tell Pam about your team, the desks already in place and what you would like to improve. She can discuss seating options without starting from a catalogue alone.
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