An ergonomic workstation starts with the chair, not the desk. Official Belgian guidance (Vlaanderen.be, Liantis, Beswic/FOD Werkgelegenheid) gives exact angles and distances, not vague advice, and Bimos chairs are built precisely around those numbers: stepless height adjustment, adjustable armrests, and 3D seat dynamics, so every setting below is actually achievable in practice.
The Cleanroom Basic: independent height, depth, and backrest adjustment.
The chair first: knee and elbow angle as the starting point
Slide all the way back and set the seat height so your knees form an angle a little more than 90°, with hips slightly higher than the knees. Leave a fist-width gap between the front of the seat and the back of the knee. The backrest works best reclined between 95 and 115°, with armrests set so elbows sit at a 90° angle without shoulders having to reach sideways. These aren't rough rules of thumb: they're the exact figures from Belgian employer guidance, and every one of these settings requires a chair that adjusts height, depth, and backrest angle independently.
Desk height follows the chair, not the other way round
Only once the chair is set correctly should the desktop be brought to elbow height. If the desk itself can't adjust, raise the chair and add a footrest for a desk that's too low, or use stable leg risers for one that's too high. A detail that's easy to miss: two people of the same height can still need a 4 to 6 cm difference in ideal desk height depending on body proportions, which is exactly why a shared desk without height adjustment rarely fits everyone.
Screen and keyboard: the last step
The top edge of the screen sits at or just below eye height, at a minimum viewing distance of 50 cm, positioned perpendicular to windows to avoid glare. The keyboard sits straight ahead, about 10 cm from the desk edge, with forearms supported while typing. The mouse stays immediately next to the keyboard, so you move from the forearm rather than reaching for it.
Why a saddle stool isn't an all-day solution
A saddle stool is excellent for active, changing postures, but not as a permanent replacement for a full chair: official guidance itself points out that sitting on a saddle stool all day tires the back muscles, which leads to slumping over time. That's exactly how Bimos positions the Zadelkruk: ideal for tasks with frequent posture changes and limited legroom at elevated workstations, alongside a full chair for longer seated periods.
Key facts at a glance
- Knee angle a little more than 90°, hips slightly higher than the knees.
- Backrest reclined between 95 and 115°, elbows at 90°.
- Desk height at elbow level; individual variation of 4-6 cm between people of the same height.
- Screen at least 50 cm away, top edge at eye height.
- Saddle stool for active posture changes, not as an all-day chair replacement.
Why this matters for your decision
Every setting above needs a chair that genuinely allows it: independent height and depth adjustment, adjustable armrests, a backrest that moves with you. That's exactly what the Bimos range is engineered for, from the Cleanroom Basic to the Zadelkruk. Not sure which model fits your workstation? Get in touch and we'll work it out together.