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EVERY DAY IS A BLACK FRIDAY HERE AT THE OFFICE CHAIR MAN
SUMMER 2026 OFFER! (Ends 31 August 2026) Qty 1–5 5%, 6–10 10%, 11–15 15%,16–20 20%, 21+ 25% Saving.
Hot, stuffy offices can quickly affect mood, focus and productivity. When temperatures rise, even simple tasks can feel harder, especially if staff are sitting in direct sunlight, working in crowded desk areas or spending long periods in meeting rooms with limited airflow.
Creating a cooler office does not always mean installing new air conditioning or making large changes to the building. Often, it is about making practical improvements to the way the space is used. Better seating, smarter layouts, breathable materials, clearer walkways, flexible furniture and comfortable breakout areas can all help create a more pleasant working environment during the summer months.
At The Office Chair Man, we supply quality used office furniture for businesses that want practical, durable and cost-effective workplace solutions. From used office chairs and used office desks to collaborative and breakout furniture, storage and office pods, the right furniture choices can make a real difference to summer working comfort.
Did you know? Thermal comfort is not just about air temperature, as humidity, air movement, clothing and work rate can all affect how comfortable people feel at work.
A warm office is not just uncomfortable. It can change how people sit, move and work throughout the day. Staff may become more restless, lose concentration more quickly or start working in awkward positions to avoid glare, heat or stuffiness.
Summer comfort is affected by several factors, including:
That is why the best approach is usually a combination of small improvements rather than one single solution. A breathable chair, a better desk position, a cooler breakout area and a less cluttered layout can work together to make the office feel more comfortable.
Before changing furniture or moving workstations, it helps to understand where the office becomes warmest. Most workplaces have clear hot spots, often near windows, crowded desk banks, equipment areas or small meeting rooms.
Start by walking through the office at different times of day. A space that feels comfortable at 9am may become far warmer by mid-afternoon, especially if it receives direct sunlight.
| Area of the office | Why it may feel warmer | Practical improvement |
| South-facing windows | Direct sunlight and glare | Move desks back where possible or use blinds |
| Dense desk banks | More people, screens and equipment in one area | Spread workstations out where space allows |
| Meeting rooms | Several people in a smaller enclosed space | Reduce meeting length or use larger rooms |
| Print and equipment zones | Machines can add heat | Keep workstations away from equipment clusters |
| Cluttered walkways | Poor movement and a cramped feeling | Use better storage and clear routes |
If several people regularly say the same area feels too warm, it is worth reviewing the furniture layout. Moving desks, reducing clutter and creating more space between workstations can make the room feel less crowded.
For businesses reviewing their layout, single desks can offer flexibility, while used office bench desks can work well where teams need a more structured layout. The key is choosing a setup that suits the room, the number of staff and the way the office is used in summer.
Seating has a major effect on comfort during hot weather. Staff may spend several hours a day in the same chair, so the material, adjustability and support all matter.
Traditional upholstered chairs can be comfortable, but in warmer offices, a breathable design may feel better for long periods of desk work. Used mesh office chairs are a popular choice because the mesh back allows more airflow than a fully upholstered backrest.
Mesh chairs can help by:
A cooler chair is only useful if it also supports the person sitting in it. During hot weather, people often slump, lean forward or shift constantly to get comfortable. A well-designed task chair can help reduce that strain.
Look for features such as:
For staff who need additional support, used orthopaedic office chairs can be a useful option. The aim is not only to keep people cool, but also to help them sit properly throughout the working day.
At The Office Chair Man, we specialise in used office chairs from recognised manufacturers. Our stock often includes well-known office furniture brands, helping businesses access quality seating at a lower cost than buying new.
Sitting still for long periods can feel worse in summer. Even when the chair is comfortable, staying in one position for hours may leave staff feeling sluggish, stiff or restless.
Used sit-stand desks offer a practical way to introduce more movement into the working day. By allowing people to alternate between sitting and standing, they can change posture without leaving their workstation.
A sit-stand desk can help staff:
Sit-stand desks are not a replacement for breaks, hydration or good ventilation, but they can form part of a more comfortable summer workplace. They are especially useful for hybrid offices, shared work areas and staff who prefer more control over their working position.
For the best result, pair a sit-stand desk with a supportive task chair. This gives staff the freedom to sit comfortably, stand when needed and vary their posture during the day.
The way furniture is arranged can affect how open and comfortable an office feels. A room may have windows, vents or cooling systems, but if furniture blocks key areas or staff are grouped too closely together, the space can still feel stuffy.
A summer layout review does not need to be complicated. It can start with a few simple questions:
Where possible, keep doors, windows, vents and main walkways clear. Avoid placing tall storage units in positions that make the room feel closed in. If a desk bank sits in a hot part of the room, consider whether some staff could move to a cooler area during the warmest months.
Good storage can also help. Used office storage solutions such as desk pedestals and tambour cupboards can reduce clutter, clear surfaces and make the office easier to move around.
The goal is not to make the office look empty. It is to create a cleaner, more practical layout that feels easier to work in when temperatures rise.
A comfortable office should offer more than one place to work. During summer, breakout areas can be especially valuable because they give staff somewhere to move, think, read, take calls or hold informal conversations away from their usual desk.
A well-planned breakout area can support:
Not every task needs a formal desk. Sometimes, moving to a cooler corner with soft seating or a high table can make a short task feel easier.
Our collaborative and breakout furniture range includes options for creating more flexible workspaces. Breakout seating can help businesses create relaxed areas, while collaborative office seating can support informal team working.
To make breakout areas more comfortable in warmer weather:
A cooler breakout area does not need to be large. Even a small space with the right seating and table can give staff a useful alternative to sitting at the same desk all day.
Meeting rooms can become uncomfortable quickly during summer. They often hold several people in a smaller space, with laptops, screens, presentation equipment and closed doors adding to the problem.
One of the simplest improvements is to review how meeting rooms are used during hot weather. Long meetings in small rooms should be avoided where possible, especially in the afternoon when many offices are at their warmest.
During summer, try to:
Furniture can also make a difference. Used conference tables and used boardroom tables should suit the size of the room without making it feel cramped. If the room needs to be reconfigured often, used flip-top tables can provide more flexibility.
Seating should be comfortable, practical and suitable for the length of meetings. For training rooms or multi-use spaces, used stacking chairs may help teams clear space when it is not needed.
Office pods and booths are useful for calls, meetings and focused work, especially in open-plan environments. In summer, they should be used thoughtfully so that privacy does not come at the expense of comfort.
Used office pods and interior phone booths can help staff step away from noise and distractions. Many offices use them for video calls, confidential conversations and short periods of concentration.
However, pods should not become all-day workstations during hot weather unless they are suitable for that purpose.
To keep pods more comfortable:
Acoustic furniture can be extremely valuable in busy offices, but it should be part of a balanced workplace plan. Our acoustic office furniture range can help businesses create quieter, more flexible spaces while still thinking carefully about layout, airflow and day-to-day use.
Clutter can make an office feel warmer, smaller and less comfortable. Boxes, unused chairs, paperwork and poorly placed storage can block routes, reduce usable space and make rooms feel more crowded than they need to be.
A summer office refresh is a good time to clear what is no longer needed and rethink storage. This does not mean removing everything from sight. It means giving items a proper place and keeping work areas easier to use.
Look at:
Storage products such as double door storage, used filing cabinets and used personal lockers can help keep the office organised.
A tidier space is easier to clean, easier to move through and generally more pleasant to work in. In warm weather, that sense of openness can make a noticeable difference.
Refreshing an office for summer does not have to mean buying everything new. Used and refurbished office furniture can help businesses improve comfort while making more sustainable use of existing products.
At The Office Chair Man, we specialise in recycled and used office furniture. Our pre-owned office chairs are only supplied when they are in top quality condition, clean and ready to be used. This makes used furniture a practical choice for businesses that want quality, value and a more responsible approach to office improvements.
Used furniture can help businesses:
For smaller budgets, used office chairs under £100 can be a useful place to start. For larger projects, combining chairs, desks, tables, storage and breakout furniture can help create a more complete summer refresh.
The most effective offices are not necessarily the newest. They are the ones that work well for the people using them.
Use this checklist to review your workplace before and during the warmer months.
Small changes can be made quickly, while larger improvements can be planned over time. The important thing is to treat summer comfort as part of the overall workplace experience.
Creating a cooler, more comfortable office for summer working is about more than temperature alone. It is about how the office feels, how people move through it and whether the furniture supports the way staff actually work.
Breathable seating, adjustable desks, open layouts, practical storage, cooler breakout areas and sensible use of meeting rooms and pods can all help. These changes do not need to happen all at once. Even replacing a small number of uncomfortable chairs, clearing clutter or creating an informal work area can improve the office during warmer months.
At The Office Chair Man, we supply quality used office chairs, desks, tables, storage, office pods and collaborative furniture for businesses of different sizes. Whether you need a single chair or a wider office furniture refresh, our range can help you create a more practical, comfortable and cost-effective workplace for summer and beyond.
Explore our used office chairs, used office desks, used office storage solutions and collaborative and breakout furniture to start planning a cooler, more comfortable office.
