According to certain reports, an average office worker sitting in a computer chair working at least 8 hours a day will move his chair at least 250 times. With this much movement, any flooring can sustain considerable damage in a year's time. Because repairing floors can be costly, the need for a cheaper alternative is needed. Thus the need for a chair mat. It is basically a mat that you place underneath you computer chair to help protect your flooring. Unlike traditional mats, they have anti-static properties than can also help protect your computer hardware.
Similar to any other mat, these mats provide a number of benefits. First of all it adds protection to your flooring. With the wear and tear your floors endure everyday, a mat will help reduce these damages. Comparing the cost of repairing your floors to buying a chair mat, your costs will definitely decrease.
The mats also provide you more movement. If you have tried moving your chair from one desk to another in a carpeted surface, you know how back breaking it can be. With it, you can easily glide from one place to another without hurting your back. Because of this increased mobility, a mat not only protects your carpet, it can also prevent injury to a person's joints and back. Also, this will ensure less fatigue while working in an office.
As mentioned earlier, an additional feature computer mats have is their ant-static properties. Whenever we move around in our computer chair, it creates static electricity that can transfer from the floor through our body and then to the computer. Static electricity can greatly damage computer hardware. Take for instance the RAM or memory module. Static electricity can "fry" it or make it unusable if it's not protected.
Aside from these benefits, it can come in any shape or design. This means that it will suite any office setting, or even home setting, one may have. Be it a small conference room or a long row of office cubicles, most manufacturers can adapt to any need. Although the price range of these computer chair mats can be a bit steep, the added protection to your flooring and computer equipment plus the other benefits like reduced risk of injury and fatigue, can make up for the cost of purchasing one.