Take a stand over wrong office chair

July 11, 2012

Take a stand over wrong office chair

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By Marie G. McIntyre / McClatchy-Tribune News Service
Q: I am over six-and-a-half feet tall, yet I have the same size desk chair as my much shorter co-workers. Every day, I have pain in my neck, back and shoulders from slumping. I try to occasionally stand up, stretch and walk about, but the pain returns as soon as I sit down.

To accommodate my height, I need a larger chair with a higher back. I work for a major corporation, so the expense should not be an issue. But my supervisor says that if I get a different chair, he will have to grant special requests from other employees. This makes no sense to me, but he won’t budge. What should I do?

A: Since your boss is ignoring your unusual circumstances, don’t waste any more time trying to convince him. Instead, contact the corporate human resources or safety department. Any large corporation will have specialists who understand the need to accommodate individual differences and prevent work-related injury claims.

Once you get the attention of the right person, your problem should be quickly solved. But don’t stop with the chair. To prevent ergonomic issues, you must also be sure that your computer and monitor are properly positioned for your height.

Marie G. McIntyre is a workplace coach. Send in questions at yourofficecoach.com.