Sign up or log in to customize your list. Here's how it works: Anybody can ask a question The best answers are voted up and rise to the top Long story short, after working sometime in my company I started having some back/neck pain. Nothing too much at first, but after more time it got worse. After some googling I came to the conclusion that my office chair was not ideal for me, and I asked my manager if it's possible to get a new chair, to which he replied "No". I also tried speaking with managers from different departments, but they either gave me a faint smile indicating "no" or told me to speak with my manager. I tried to solve my problem on my own by bringing my gymnastic ball to work. Sadly it didn't work; I can't sit 8 hours a day on it for 5 days. I can feel my productivity slipping and my posture getting worse every day. Is there something I could do that would convince my manager to buy me a new chair? I have made several requests for special equipment over the years, some granted and some not.
Here's what I did to (as far as I can tell) maximize the chances of success:I can't tell if you've asked outright or just hinted at it, but don't rely on hints.Your chair is causing you pain; this isn't just a preference. Be prepared to explain how you know it's the chair and not some other aspect of your setup, but you probably won't need this detail.Don't just say you want a new chair; come with a few options of chairs that have the feature you need that your current chair lacks. (For me, being able to lock the back of the chair in place, so if I lean back I meet resistance rather than my chair just falling back, is important. Our chairs didn't have that.) Be budget-minded, but use mainstream vendors. If your company is going to buy it, then if they have any financial/accounting processes at all (they're not just a few guys in a garage) they're probably going to need to obtain it new from a known vendor. That used chair you found on Craigslist for $10 might not actually line up with their processes (but see below).
If your boss can't help you, try HR. HR probably has processes (and perhaps budgets) for this separate from what your own department has. And if the problem is such that there's mandatory compliance in your locale, they'll be more familiar with those rules than your manager is. Finally, if they say no, just buy it yourself. The $100 I spent on a chair at my last workplace was more than worth it, weighed against 8+ hours per day for years. If you actually can solve your problem for $10 on Craigslist, just do it and save your management requests for things that are more expensive. Interestingly I ran into this problem recently myself. My neck / shoulder started to hurt badly and after going to the doctor they asked me questions and it was found that when I sat down, I leaned a little to view the monitor at my new setup. With that said, I rearranged my desk and take extra effort to make sure I am not leaning. It has helped and I don't feel as sore. Problem One: you got your personal health information off the googles internet pipes.
Go to a doctor or chiro. Bring a note from said doctor to your HR dept. I'm in the UK but I found doing some basic physio exercises and a cheap foam lower back support helped me a lot. Although it was neck pain it came from having weak core muscles/bad posture and strengthening this helped massively. Apparently my poor posture was causing tension in my neck area and my slumped sitting position caused compression in the back. If you can't afford a trip to a real physio a lot of the advice can be googled online. It's a lot cheaper than buying your own chair anyway. The sort of thing I used Sign up or log in Sign up using Google Sign up using Email and Password Post as a guest By posting your answer, you agree to the privacy policy and terms of service. Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged work-environment health or ask your own question.Cruz Mid-Back Desk Chair Product Type: Desk Chair Overall: 23.5'' W x 25.5'' D
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