Ergomonkey

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Ergonomics / Monkeys

BMW 3 Series- Driven aggressively on an outside- lane near you!

The BMW 3 Series; all things to all men. Truly a car for all seasons. You want design & engineering integrity? Check. Beautiful styling & proportions? Check. Solid environmental message? Check. Outstanding performance? Check. Perfect build quality? Check.

So why doesn't everyone want to drive a BMW 3 Series? Why would you choose an Audi A4, with its brash and clumsy styling? Why choose a Mercedes Benz C Class that lacks the pure unadulterated "joie de vivre" of the 3’s superior dynamics?

The answer is simple; you choose something else simply because it isn't a BMW 3 Series!

With a range of talents are simply so wide that the 3 is the default weapon of choice for every upwardly mobile sales rep, self- respecting drug dealer, and image- conscious golf club member in the land. Ironically, success has been so great that ubiquity has become the greatest enemy of this seminal product!

There are indeed parallels to this situation in the world of ergonomic task seating. For many years, the RH4 has been considered the default choice in orthopaedic/ ergonomic seating; a ‘miracle cure’ for all ills. In recent times, a legion of distributor sales reps and Back to Work Assessors have eagerly signed- off their ‘prescriptions’ for the RH4. Suffering from a prolapsed disc? Check. Sciatica? Check. Lower back pain? Check. Migraine? Check. A long term course of RH4 and you’ll be alright!

However, personal choice is determined by the subconscious mind, sometimes defying all rational explanation. Primary motivations, shaped by the accrued experiences, beliefs, and prejudices of our lives so far, take a hold and shape our decisions.

Owners of Iconic brands such as Apple & Mini, acutely aware that globalisation and economy of scale can lead to products that are generic and bland, have cleverly side- stepped the issue of ubiquity by offering varying degrees of product personalisation.  

One of the few opportunities for personal choice and self expression in the office is the task chair. Because of the pre- eminence of the RH range of chairs, successfully marketed to saturation point by distributors such as Posturite & Osmond Group, there is sometimes too little appreciation of some of the less common fine Scandinavian contemporary seating.

One such example would be the Plus chair by Hoganasmobler. It may have controls below the seat- pan that would look more at home on an 1840’s steam engine, but for comfort, durability and adaptability it reigns supreme. It may be slightly more expensive than the RH4, but I challenge you to spend an hour in its clutches without being smitten.

Plus by Hoganasmobler- Scandinavian beauty

The Rbm 800 Series combines classic, svelte good looks with luxuriant upholstery. Surprisingly pitched at a slightly lower price point than the RH4, it offers design integrity and sound ergonomics at a price you can afford! And all this with an EN1335 category ‘A’ accreditation to knock the RH4 into a cocked- hat.

Rbm 800 Series- Tomorrows products, today, at yesterday’s prices!

The Herman Miller Aeron chair is a long- time favourite of architects and interior designers alike. Its heavy, distinctive styling and sound ergonomics make it a front- runner for project work. However, to many eyes the chair has a bulky and unbalanced ‘over- engineered’ look at odds with the much lighter, minimalist desking and storage of today. If you want ‘Aeron Lite’ take a look at the Liberty chair from Humanscale; slender and elegant, its look are second only to its intuitive and tactile nature of its controls. Modern industrial design at its best!

 Liberty- Free your mind and the rest will follow

So free your mind and body! Don’t just blindly follow the crowd. There are a plethora of ergonomic task chairs out there that may enhance your working life; chairs that offer a stronger ergonomic case, better value for money, and are drop- dead gorgeous to look at too!

Good night God bless

Richard Howell- ergomonkey European correspondent