14 Different Types Of Office Chairs: Best for Workplace Comfort

So many factors in an office determine the productivity and satisfaction of the employees. If we talk about the physical environment, the furniture personnel uses also plays a key role in getting the maximum out of them. So, it is important to choose a chair that will provide comfort as well as increase the efficiency of the work routine.

To find the best office chair, first you should know what all options you have got. As there is a wide range of job types in an office, office chairs also come with so much variety.

Here, we will have a good look at different types of office chairs and the utility they can offer you.

What are the essential qualities of an office chair?

Office chairs can have varied features depending on the person and tasks it is made for. But across the types, good adjustability, comfortability, and movability are the must-have qualities in an office chair. To make sure that your chair comes with these, you should look for a few things before getting chair for your study or office room.

• Firstly, the height of the chair should be suitable for you and it should be adjustable as well. Other adjustment features in office chairs are in the armrests and a few also come with adjustable headrests.

• The back of the chair should support your spine and let you make a comfortable and healthy posture. If the chair reclines backward, you can rest for a while after you feel exhausted at work.

• The material used in your chairs should last long and not bring abrasion to your skin and clothes.

• A good office chair also has a swivel and caster wheels so that you have easy access to your office supplies.

Now, let us know about the options you have while buying an office chair.

Types Of Office Chairs Based On Design

There are a lot of ways you can categorize office chairs and we will do that based on their design. Here are some popular office chairs with different designs and are meant to serve different purposes and office personnel.

Task Chairs

Task chairs are also called computer chairs and these are the most demanded office chairs used across the world. The design might vary a little according to the brands you choose but the utility remains almost the same. Most of the task chairs have an ergonomic design that conforms to the shape of your back so that your posture is relaxed and healthy.

Task chairs are for employees who have to sit in the office for 7-8 hours. They come with adjustability with the height and armrest and also offer movability.

These features improve productivity as now the person can quickly move to another side of the table or next table if needed for their task. You will find office task chairs mostly with mesh material but they are available in leather as well.

Executive Chairs

Executive chairs are like task chairs but with bigger premium built and with much more comfortability. These chairs are meant for people with higher-up roles in any organization. The seat here is very thickly padded with a waterfall design for the legs. The high backrest ensures maximum reliability in the executive chairs.

People sitting on executive chairs can sit in the office for long hours without affecting their physical health. They have comfort and strength similar to a sofa and people with some kind of injuries or back pain also prefer these chairs. The chairs also look stylish in all types of spaces be it offices, showrooms, clinics, studios, etc.

Conference Chairs

Conference chairs are meant for buying in bulk for business meetings. They are kept in the conference halls of large offices and hotels that accommodate official gatherings. These chairs come with little lesser adjustability so that the people attending the meetings do not get distracted. The back does not lean back and it is either straight or little inclined for the head.

Side Chairs

There is no specific design when it comes to side chairs. These chairs are meant for adding space if the assigned chairs have been occupied in a gathering. Side chairs are mostly made up of plastic and come with no adjustability.

Drafting Chairs

Most offices have a big reception area with standing desks. A normal office chair is not suitable for such spaces. Drafting chairs have an elongated cylinder with good height adjustability. With a footrest above the base, a person can comfortably sit on it and interact with the visitors. You will find many designs of drafting chairs in the market.

Some of them have all the qualities of a task chair while some can also have just a seat and back without even an armrest.

Guest Chairs

Guest chairs have the responsibility of giving a comfortable space to your guests. These chairs are mostly placed in the reception or in the meeting area where the staff interacts with the clients.

Guest chairs do not offer much movability and adjustability. Depending on the budget of the company, these chairs can have simple or thick padding.

Kneeling Chairs

Kneeling chairs are meant for people that want to sit with an upright posture due to health reasons. These chairs come with 2 supporting pads but without a back. The larger pad is for sitting and it supports your bottom as well as the thighs. The smaller pad supports your knees.

There are not enough studies to support that kneeling chairs can be alternative to other office chairs. However, experts suggest that we can use both chairs simultaneously. When you feel like going for an active sitting without taking support of the chair’s back, you can use kneeling chairs.

If you are a little exhausted and want to sit in a relaxed way, go to your main chair. The best thing for your health and productivity is that you move often to maintain the smooth oxygen flow in your blood vessels.

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Stacking Chairs

Stacking chairs are also used for large gatherings that are mostly informal. They are like the chairs we have at home and that can be stored very easily with one chair above another.

These chairs come in different features, materials, and budgets. The most available material is plastic in stacking chairs and very designs offer seat cushions.

Tablet Arm Chairs

Tablet arm chairs are ideal for meetings or seminars where the attendees need to take notes. These chairs come with attached space at one side where you can keep your copy, tab, phone, and stationary. The comfort factor is too low in these chairs as people need to be attentive in the meeting.

Tablet arm chairs cost much lesser than keeping desks and chairs. But it is difficult to get them in a promising quality. You might have observed in most offices that tablet armchairs get ruined after a while.

Armless Chairs

Armless chairs are meant for short sitting sessions at any official space. They are mostly put in smoking zones, waiting or eating areas, or near wending machines. These chairs are best for sitting, standing and turning quickly and also they don’t require much maintenance as well.

Types Of Office Chairs Based On Material

Most of the office chairs you got to know above come in different types of materials and they have their own pros and cons, have a look. You can choose these based on the budget and the physical environment of your office.

Mesh Office Chairs

These are the most popular types of office chairs across the world. As the name suggests, these chairs come with mesh fabric upholstery which in turn, is made up of other fabrics like polypropylene, polyethylene, or nylon.

The seats in these chairs are well cushioned but at the back, there is mostly a mesh net with ample support.

Mesh chairs ensure easy airflow through your chair that allows you to sit without any precipitation for hours. It makes these chairs very convenient for working in summer.

The mesh net at the back conforms to your spine shape and helps you maintain a healthy posture. Other reasons people like mesh chairs are because of their affordable prices and the lightweight.

One thing to worry about mesh chairs is that the nylon threads can harm the fabric of your cotton clothes by causing abrasion. So, either you do not wear cotton clothes at work or choose the softer mesh fabric.

Vinyl Office Chairs

A lot of brands make vinyl task chairs that are used in corporate and other types of offices. These chairs are mostly meant for visitors or meetings. Vinyl chairs are wooden and only the cover of the cushion is made up of vinyl. These chairs cost lesser than Mesh and Leather chairs and are very durable.

Leather Office Chairs

Leather office chairs are mostly used by higher-ranking personnel in a company. Almost all the known brands make executive chairs from leather only. Other leather office chairs include conference chairs and guest chairs as well. Generally, leather office chairs are not considered too productive and they are too comfortable.

These chairs are more expensive than chairs made up of other materials like mesh or vinyl. They also look stylish in every setup you put them in. You can buy them for your home office as they are very durable as well.

But they are not very ideal for long hours, especially in the summers, as these chairs are hot and do not let the air pass through them. That ends up in sweaty conditions at your bottom and back.

Plastic Office Chairs

These chairs are not very popular for regular work at offices but these can be considered as stacking chairs, ghost chairs, side chairs, and tablet armchairs. These chairs are much cheaper than chairs made up of other materials. The built quality, style, and durability of these chairs also vary a lot from brand to brand.

Conclusion

So, these were the most popular types of chairs used in offices across the world. Before choosing a one for your home or office, you should determine your working hours as well as the nature of work.

If you are someone who has to spend 6-7 hours every day working on their computer, the task chair will bring a lot of productivity to your work. We hope this article enhanced your knowledge about office chairs.