Although it may not seem like it, the furniture in a contact center is pretty significant. Finding the perfect furniture for a contact center has actually been shown to produce improvements in productivity and eliminate stress and injuries in the workplace.

The demanding environment of a contact center is especially in need of comfortable chairs and other furniture set-ups that assist in agents in doing their job while also being safe and efficient. With agents working productively and efficiently, stress is eased away from contact center managers.

To find the perfect chair, here are some guidelines to consider.

The Importance of the Chair

Furniture that is flexible and that can be adjusted for each user is important.

If you have ever sat in an office chair for hours at a time you know that selecting a comfortable ergonomic chair is very important to the comfort and safety of the user. A chair is a key component of an ergonomic work environment.

The Importance of Ergonomics

Ergonomics is the study of people’s efficiency in a work environment. If agents are working more efficiently and effectively, that helps minimize caller dissatisfaction and provides better customer service.

Ergonomics play a huge role in the selection of the correct chair. The chair should adjust to fit a variety of users. Typical adjustments are height, seat depth, lumbar, and armrest height and width. Matching these adjustments to the user will allow them work comfortably and safely.

Standard Elements to Consider

Some options depend on the contact center, for example, if one person or multiple people sit in the chair each day. If multiple people sit in the chair, the chair should feature a multi-shift upgrade package for durability; however, regardless of the shifts, the chair should be adjustable.

There are different levels of adjustability in chairs. A few different types of chairs are: basic, intensive task, and multi-function. A typical chair with basic adjustments will allow height and adjustable back depth adjustment. An intensive task chair offers many more adjustments, typically including back height adjustment, seat and back angle adjustment, and height adjustment. A multi-function chair will feature all of the adjustments of an intensive task but will add tension control, forward tilt, and an infinite tilt lock.

Mistakes to Be Aware Of

One common mistake made when purchasing a chair is buying a cheap and poor quality task chair. These chairs usually do not last as long as higher quality chairs; less expensive chairs tend to fall apart in a year or two and require replacement.

A chair that is of higher quality and good reputation is more expensive but it will also last longer.

Health Risks to Consider

Not choosing the proper chair may cause a person to work with improper arm, wrist, and back angles. This can cause musculoskeletal disorders, such as carpal tunnel, and back problems. 

The Right Chair Improves Performance

It is not only about having the right chair, but also knowing how to properly adjust said chair so agents are able to perform better. Healthy and comfortable agents will ultimately perform better than those that are suffering from health issues due to improper or improperly adjusted equipment.

Share your thoughts below if you have any more tips on choosing the perfect chair for your contact center. For any other contact center management questions, we at KOVA would love to chat with you. Contact us today.