For many years company offices have been furnished with whatever is available and without much thought given to the look of the office as a whole. More recently, company executives particularly, are taking more care over the look and feel of their office furniture.

A greater level of concentration on the look of office furniture is matched by a concern for staff productivity and comfort and this has led to a growth in the number of companies who buy ergonomic office furniture. Ergonomic office furniture is specifically designed with comfort and the health of the user in mind. Adjustable workstations for example, have different height settings and are sectioned into a computer space and space for other work. In many offices there are protective screens on the computers so that they can be used by people suffering from ailments such as migraine or epilepsy.

The biggest change in office furniture in terms of both looks and usability has been the ergonomic office chair. Most ergonomic chairs are pleasing to look at and have fully adjustable back and arm rests for maximum user comfort. The extra support given by these chairs reduces back problems and lowers the risk of repetitive strain injury. Contemporary office furniture is manufactured with both looks and worker safety in mind.