9to5 seating Archives | 9to5 seating

The Importance of Proper Seating in Education

Education is an ever-evolving space, as it should be. How we teach and learn has evolved from simple storytelling and hieroglyphics to slate and chalk, digital tablets, and virtual learning. As we all know, the change in learning environments for students, educators and administrators have accelerated and amplified trends in education that were already in motion. Online and blended learning has revealed inequities and how many physical learning environments can’t meet the pedagogical needs and technology demands. Additionally, well-being has suffered, and students and teachers have struggled, unable to teach or learn effectively.

Research has found both students and instructors want more control over their learning environments. People want options so they can choose where to learn or work, and they want the ability to adapt spaces based on what they’re doing. A recent study reports a 92% increase in students who say they often or always move furniture to support their learning. Instructors report a 47% increase when asked if they agree or strongly agree that they want to be able to move furniture into new layouts. Access to mobile furniture, seating options, and postures promotes a greater sense of student agency.

Here are five key benefits of proper seating in any education environment:

Comfort: Comfortable seating can help reduce physical discomfort and fatigue during long periods of sitting, which is especially important for students who spend many hours in a lecture hall or study room. The right seating solution can help them stay focused and engaged during class.
Posture: Proper posture helps to prevent back, neck, and shoulder pain and also helps to maintain good spinal alignment, which is essential for good health. Good posture also helps improve breathing and circulation, enhancing overall well-being.
Productivity: Proper seating can help to improve concentration and focus, which is essential for success in higher education. When students are comfortable, they are more likely to be productive and able to retain information better.
Learning Environment: Proper seating can create a more positive and inviting learning environment, contributing to a more positive and supportive classroom culture.
Accessibility: Proper seating can also be important in making the classroom more accessible for students with disabilities. It is essential to ensure that seating is adjustable and can accommodate the needs of all students.

To create better teaching and learning experiences that provide students and educators with what they want and expect, institutions must pay attention to several macro shifts in how they think about space. Here are two key macro shifts:

Design for Effectiveness

During the pandemic, both students and educators faced challenges. The quality of learning and instruction declined. To move forward, students and educators must have access to multi-faceted learning environments that cater to individual and group needs and provide various learning methods. For instance, libraries could be reconfigured to accommodate group work and individual study. Schools must also create spaces that facilitate more effective hybrid and blended learning experiences.

Design for Flexibility

Traditionally, buildings were constructed with a focus on durability, featuring rigid architecture, power, and furniture arrangements. In the future, educational facilities will feature more flexible spaces that can quickly adapt to various modes of learning. Schools must embrace versatile spaces that can accommodate a wide range of activities. Furniture will be designed to be easily relocated, allowing the spaces to expand or shrink as necessary.

Below is a brief guide on several 9to5 Seating chairs and their ideal applications in various environments throughout school classrooms, libraries, admin areas, common areas, and other open spaces.

Vox and Dash – Great for classrooms, cafés, cafeterias and meeting room spaces:

- Full collections with multiple models to fill multiple spaces- classrooms, Cafés, cafeteria and meeting rooms, lab spaces
- Very mobile and easy to move around
- Available with glides or casters
- Flexback movement to offer comfort while sitting for longer periods
- Durable frames and plastic shells that hold up in high-traffic areas
- Variety of plastic colors to choose

Lilly and Jax – Perfect for lounge collections-common areas, libraries, administrative offices:

- Jax and Lilly offer different aesthetic designs suited for a variety of interior designs
- Very mobile and easy to move around
- Variety of models to fit in different spaces
- Support focus or collaborative student work

Ellie – Well-suited for common areas, libraries, administrative offices:

- - Very mobile and easy to move around
  - Support focus or collaborative student work
  - Variety of bases that support multiple areas-show via images (individual images of different bases)

Effective education is a must for prosperous and civil societies. The next generation is counting on us to train and teach them, and we’re counting on them to lead us into the future. All of this is made easier with high-quality, thoughtfully specified lounge, task and multipurpose chairs from 9to5 Seating. For more inspiration on education seating solutions, check out the 9to5 Seating Education brochure.

Letter from the President

Dear Colleagues and Friends,

I am writing this letter today with mixed emotions as I announce my decision to step down as President and CEO of 9to5 Seating, a company that has been a significant part of my life for over two decades. My last day with the company will be on March 31^st. After much consideration, I have decided that it is time for me to pass the baton and spend more time with my family. I am not going far, however. I will continue to be involved with 9to5 Seating as a member of the supervisory board and working with Flokk to ensure 9to5 Seating’s continued growth.

As I reflect on my time with 9to5 Seating, I am filled with an immense sense of pride and gratitude for what we have achieved together. When my parents and I started this company all those years ago, we had a simple dream: to create a business that would not only provide quality and innovative office seating at competitive price points but would also be a place where team members would feel valued, respected, and appreciated. I am happy to say that we have accomplished that and so much more.

Over the years, we have faced challenges and opportunities, but we always tackled them together as a team. I am humbled by the commitment, hard work, and dedication of each and every one of you. You have been instrumental in making 9to5 Seating the success that it is today, and for that, I am forever grateful.

As I step down from my role, I want to express my sincere appreciation to each of you for your contribution to the company. I am confident that the company will continue to thrive under the new leadership of Frederik Fogstad and our existing leadership team, along with the support of Flokk. I have no doubt that the team will continue to set new records and achieve new heights!

Lastly, I want to thank my parents, Darius and Susan Mir, for having the vision, courage, and determination to plant the seed from which this company sprouted. Without their support and guidance, I would not be where I am today. I have had many great mentors throughout my career. I would be remiss if I did not also thank Mike Heazlitt for teaching a young engineer about sales.

It has been an honor and a privilege to work alongside such a talented and dedicated team, and I will always cherish the memories and experiences we have shared. Thank you for being part of this amazing journey, and I wish you all the very best for the future.

Sincerely,

Dara Mir

Mir Steps Down as President and CEO of 9to5 Seating

9to5 Seating has announced that CEO and President Dara Mir will be stepping down from his position. Frederik Fogstad, Flokk Senior Vice President, International, will take over as the new CEO, effective April 1, 2023. Mir has decided to focus on his family and new challenges outside of 9to5 Seating.

The transition comes after Mir’s successful tenure, during which he founded and transformed 9to5 Seating into a major player in the office seating industry. Mir will remain involved with 9to5 Seating as part of the supervisory board.

Fogstad brings a wealth of experience to his new position. He has also held senior management positions at some of the world’s most respected furniture companies.

Prior to joining 9to5 Seating, Fogstad held positions in Varier Furniture, Intersport, Kellogg’s, and Coca-Cola.

“As I reflect on my time with 9to5 Seating, I am filled with an immense sense of pride and gratitude for what we have achieved together as a company. I want to express my sincere appreciation to everyone who contributed to the growth of 9to5 Seating,” said Mir. “It has been an honor and a privilege to work alongside such a talented and dedicated team, and I will always cherish the memories and experiences we have shared.”

“I am honored to have been chosen to lead 9to5 Seating,” said Fogstad. “I am excited about the opportunities that lie ahead and am confident that we can continue to build on the company’s success.”

Under Mir’s leadership, 9to5 Seating grew into one of the most respected names in the office seating industry. With a reputation for quality, innovation, and design excellence, the company has won numerous awards and accolades. Flokk acquired 9to5 Seating from the Mir family in 2019, while Dara Mir stayed on as CEO and President supporting the transition of ownership and continued success of 9to5 Seating.

9to5 Seating is poised and committed to delivering the highest quality office seating products to its customers and to maintaining its position as a leader in the industry.

Designer Multipurpose Chair Cavo

Aesthetics are only half the story with this durable, easy-to-clean seating solution

9to5 Seating is launching Cavo, a groundbreaking new high-design multipurpose chair to address the needs of today’s fluid workspaces that crave a beautiful aesthetic as much as functionality. Engineered for durability and cleanability, Cavo answers the call of multipurpose seating—reliability and style—enterprise-wide, from meeting rooms, patient rooms, collaboration spaces, cafes or classrooms.

Cavo was designed by Italian designer Claudio Bellini whose work “seeks the harmony of beauty and efficiency.” Bellini believes that today’s work requires it, aiming to engage users not just with comfort but with interesting design that is aesthetically appealing. Bellini considers the office chair an essential working tool that allows for user efficiency but also gives the user space to be dynamic and flexible. Cavo ticks all those boxes.

With all its visual appeal, Cavo is also durable as a multipurpose chair. Designed for high-traffic environments, Cavo withstands frequent, thorough cleaning. With a breadth of weight capacity options—including a 350 lb weight rating for guest and stools and a 750 lb weight rating for bariatric—the collection meets the needs of company-wide access. The wall-saver frame design prevents scuffing, while the edge-to-edge under-seat cover enables stacking four on the floor and 10 on the dolly.

“9to5 Seating is excited to work with the Bellini design team,” said Dara Mir, President and CEO of 9to5 Seating. “Together, we’re launching a more evolved multipurpose chair.”

Cavo is GREENGUARD GOLD and BIFMA LEVEL 2 certified and starts at $380. Reach out to your 9to5 Seating Rep for a demo.

Chair Designer is a Specifier’s Dream

One of the features we really love is that the tool is accessible from 9to5seating.com with no special software or training required. If you have access to a web browser, then you are ready to design a chair! Simply click the link on the top nav of the website. The user can then choose a base chair product from the initial menu and begin customizing.

With a chair selected, the user is prompted to browse upholstery options. And we’re not just talking about a few. As you will see in the video overview, 9to5 Seating has loads of upholstery options, ranging from single color to multi-color, and sorted by grade, pattern, color, material type, vendor and cleanability. As you click through options, the rendered image updates instantly. We were really impressed at how quickly the chair image changes – zero lag time.

As you would expect the base frame style and color are also adjustable. As if all this wasn’t enough, you can also upload your own material (COM) and render it on the chair. Got a funky idea for a new pattern? Bring it on! Want to see the new color of the year on your chair? Great idea, let’s go. Just upload and visualize it on a 9to5 Seating product.

As you design, the chair can be rotated for a perspective from any angle. Zoom levels are also really sharp for a life-like view. In addition to the powerful customization tool, the administrative functions are also impressive – making it easier for someone to specify a project and share it with a client. For example, the pricing updates in real-time as you add or remove options is a useful feature. Chair Designer also allows users to create an account where they can save multiple projects, share a design, download a PDF or send a link to a project.

Try out the amazing Chair Designer and design your own Ellie, 9to5 Seating’s newest office chair product.

HCD 2022

9to5 Seating is excited to announce that we will be exhibiting at Healthcare Design Expo & Conference.

Healthcare Design Expo & Conference is the ultimate networking, education, and product-sourcing event for the healthcare industry. You can see the newest products from 9to5 Seating while learning about the latest research, trends, and strategies from peers and experts.

Check out a sneak peek at the 9to5 Seating products you can expect to see in our booth. Also, stop by the booth to enter our chair giveaway contest.

Healthcare Design Expo & Conference is in San Antonio, TX, October 9-11. Visit the 9to5 Seating Booth #743.

What’s the Right Chair for My Sit/Stand Desk?

Recently invested in sit/stand desks for your entire office? Did you decide to invest in one for your WFH situation? Or, maybe, you’re a commercial designer and you specify height-adjustable desks on a daily basis. This piece of furniture is a great tool for productivity, employee satisfaction, and mental/physical health. Hang on though. What about the chair? This Forbes article points out that most workers spend most of their time sitting. Simply put, workers will sit throughout the day (yes, even the “all about fitness person” in the office). 9to5 Seating knows chairs and has task and office seating solutions that will perfectly complement a sit/stand desk and maximize the utility of these workstations.

To specify the right chair to pair with a sit/stand desk, you must start with the right questions. First, in what environment will the desk and chair be used? Open office, private office, home office, lab, common area, school or institutional setting, etc. The environment makes a difference in the design aesthetic that should be considered for the chair. For example, the HÅG Capisco Puls is ideal in a lab because the plastic shell is extremely durable and easy to clean. Also, HÅG Capisco Puls is ideal for shorter sitting periods, which you might expect in a working lab environment.

No matter where your chairs are used, check out the 9to5 Seating Chair Designer. This intuitively crafted tool allows users to sort by application type, including business, education, healthcare, heavy-duty, and hospitality. Find the right application and then dial in your design based on the back type, category, material, and other features.

The next question is how the chair will typically be used. Do you expect to sit at the desk mostly? If so, the HÅG Capisco is a great option because it has been ergonomically designed for long sits. The unique design helps support the lumbar spine and keeps workers feeling fresh and alert for longer periods of sitting. This chair also offers a foot ring and arched foot plates to help keep the user firmly planted and support the legs. These features are great for users who prefer to keep their desks at a higher position by default. Many users can then simply stand up out of the chair and continue working without having also to adjust the height of the desk. Capisco also offers many different seat heights which accommodate a wide range of body types when sitting or perching at a desk. Whether you sit, perch or stand, Capisco’s three-cylinder heights help accommodate just about anyone.

The last question is what are the overall ergonomics and best sitting position when using a height-adjustable desk? As with any desk and chair pairing, you want to ensure the forearms rest comfortably and level on the desk, feet are planted, and the lumbar spine is supported. The user should be able to sit upright comfortably. Chair options like the Omnia, Neo, Luna, and Cydia all offer foot rings and ergonomics that will support a user at virtually any desk height.

So, sit/stand desks are great, but a smart specifier will remember the chair is just as important. After all, your body is in direct contact with the chair for several hours daily. Nail the spec and keep your clients happy!

9to5 Seating Embraces Environmental Responsibility

Manufacturer Receives LEVEL 3 Certification on Top-Selling Products

9to5 Seating is committed to sustainable and environmentally responsible business practices. This global perspective informs every aspect of its corporate culture, from warehousing to manufacturing to its office facilities to its community.

Aiming to boldly change how furniture designers and manufacturers operate, 9to5 Seating has prioritized environmental responsibility. The company has earned LEVEL 2 certification on all its products, with HÅG Capisco and HÅG Capisco Puls receiving an almost unprecedented LEVEL 3 certification—the highest ranking. To secure LEVEL certification, 9to5 Seating demonstrated that its manufacturing facility and company create “environmentally preferable and socially responsible” furniture that contributes to sustainable building ratings. LEVEL 3 is the highest product ranking, similar to a platinum ranking in the LEED rating system.

9to5 Seating is steadfast in its commitment to its communities and the planet. It works smart, selecting materials carefully so that its products don’t just support the fight against climate change but become part of the solution.

Five Things to Consider When Specifying a Chair

When it comes to your next project that requires workspace seating, how do you approach the spec? Check out whatever the big manufacturers are offering and overpay. Spec the trendy chair you saw at NeoCon? Start a Google search that goes down a rabbit trail of dead-ends? Here are five points from 9to5 Seating to consider when specifying office chairs that will help you make a more informed, smart decision.

Ergonomics – If it’s not ergonomic, what’s the point? The benefits of good posture are widely known, and today’s office chairs are loaded with ergonomic features that help knowledge workers stay healthy, alert, and do their best work. A great chair should offer easy mobility and multi-dimension adjustability (reclining, height, seat depth, armrests, lumbar, circulation). The bottom line here? Make sure it’s also a comfortable work chair. Just because a chair offers ergonomics does not guarantee comfort.

Here are a few great options to consider:

Sol: unique side-to-side movement
HÅG Capisco: a rare chair that supports sit-to-stand and traditional sit, movement, and posture changes
Luna: great for a wide range of users, multiple adjustment options, including armrests, a seat slider, and adjustable lumbar

2. Customization & Style – In short, it’s 2022, so don’t settle for “standard” when customization is widely available from the best manufacturers. A great chair supplier will also be glad to offer options, price comparisons, and lead times based on various customization configurations. At 9to5 Seating, customization is standard. Color, finish fabric, legs, casters. You decide. Our online Chair Designer tool is great for seeing options and finding your perfect spec.

With all of this, be sure your chairs still look good. 9to5 Seating has racked up awards from HiP, Metropolis Likes, Good Design, CFYC, and more. No matter what you spec, rest assured our design team has your back to ensure it looks great!

Quality – This should be a given, but with all of the cheaper chair options flooding the market, it’s worth asking specific questions about durability. Is the chair you are considering BIFMA compliant? Does it have a LEVEL certification? Has proper wear testing been conducted? What is the fabric rating? What is the warranty? With 9to5 Seating, the answers to all of these questions are yes, and every chair offers a limited lifetime warranty. Peace of mind that when you spec 9to5 Seating, you choose quality backed by a guarantee.

4. Sustainability – How will your spec impact the environment? It’s a valid question that is becoming a major factor in the decision-making process of design firms, facility managers, and end-users. 9to5 Seating recently launched Ellie, an innovative chair made from 95% recyclable materials, Greenguard Gold and BIFMA LEVEL 2 certified. With 9to5 Seating, “plastic” is sustainable. Another aesthetically pleasing and sustainable option is Omnia – made from 100% recyclable plastic. That’s forward-thinking when it comes to end-of-product-life options. Last, every chair from 9to5 Seating is LEVEL 2 certified, and HÅG Capisco and HÅG Capisco Puls are LEVEL 3 certified.

Beyond the chair itself, what is your manufacturer doing to be a good corporate citizen? 9to5 Seating is proud to be solar powered, LEED Gold Certified, LEVEL certified, and a proud supporter of the non-profit organization One Tree Planted – dedicated to global reforestation. Learn more about the company’s sustainability policy.

5. Overall Value – Are you getting your money’s worth? One way to evaluate this is based on hard cost. 9to5 Seating wins here, with a wide range of chairs starting under $1,000 list price. However, there’s more than price when it comes to value. What do you get for the price? With 9to5 Seating, all boxes are checked when it comes to ergonomics, customization & style, quality, and sustainability. This adds up to make 9to5 Seating a leader regarding overall value for your spec.

So, what’s most important when specifying workspace seating? The answer depends on your organization’s specific needs, budget, and use cases. There’s no one right answer, but with these five tips, you can make the right choice.

Ellie |Designer’s Dream that Delivers Ergonomics

9to5 Seating is launching Ellie, a highly customizable, fully upholstered stylish chair for task, conference rooms or collaboration spaces. With elegant curved lines, Ellie aims to elevate the market for spaces that change throughout the day—including home offices.

Ellie combines task-seating-level ergonomics with plush lounge comfort, merging functionality with appealing design. With a multitude of base and finish options, Ellie in mid-back or high-back complements any kind of work space from corporate settings to open-concept offices or at-home work. Depending on space and style needs, choose from a black or gray five-star base, a four-star aluminum base in black, white or polished finish, or a wire base in black, gray or silver. The easy-to-use weight-balanced synchro mechanism makes customization personal.

Ellie’s precision upholstery work means designers can easily create personalized two-tone design, combining colors, textures and patterns everywhere—front, back and seat with optional coated textile armrests, making Ellie more durable for every day use.

Made of 95% recycled materials, Ellie is the latest proof of 9to5 Seating’s commitment to sustainability and helping the planet. Ellie is GREENGUARD GOLD and BIFMA LEVEL 2 certified.

“We’re excited to introduce Ellie to the 9to5 Seating portfolio,” said Dara Mir, President and CEO of 9to5 Seating. “This impressive chair exemplifies 9to5 Seating’s push for a high design, ergonomic, sustainable and highly customizable seating solution.”

Ellie starts at $1445 and is now available. Check in with your local 9to5 Seating Sales Representative for a demo and go to 9to5seating.com for more information.

Tag: 9to5 seating