ORGATEC 2026: Office Seating Trends for Hybrid Work

Office seating trends are easier to judge when you start with everyday work. Ahead of ORGATEC 2026 in Cologne on October 27–30, we’re looking at three priorities for hybrid work: support through movement, fit across different users and desks, and comfort within the whole workstation.

The event’s central theme, “From rooms to relationships: designing spaces in an ever-changing world,” puts people and adaptable environments at the center of the conversation. For readers planning an office or home setup, that raises a practical question: what should better seating make possible at your office or home desk?

These are priorities to evaluate as the show approaches. They give you a useful way to assess new designs, ask better questions, and connect an international event with the way you work each day.

Why hybrid work needs more adaptable seating

Working between home and an office can mean different desk heights, screen positions, and chairs. Even within one building, a focused writing session may give way to a video call or a conversation with a colleague. Seating needs to work within those changes.

There is room for improvement. In its 2026 Global Workplace Survey, which covered office workers across 16 countries, Gensler found that one in four respondents had made DIY fixes for ergonomics, temperature, or visual privacy. The finding concerns the broader workspace, rather than the performance of a particular chair.

Staying still also has a cost. The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety explains that fixed sitting still requires muscles to hold the trunk, neck, and shoulders in position, which can contribute to fatigue.

A useful chair should leave room for small changes in position, or micro-movement, while providing support you can comfortably use. Regular standing and walking breaks remain part of the working day.

Three seating priorities to watch at ORGATEC

Support that accommodates movement

Recline range is only part of the story. In practical terms, dynamic sitting means changing position while keeping useful support. Notice what happens as you shift from typing to reading or lean back during a call. Does the backrest remain useful? Do your arms stay comfortably supported? Is returning to desk work straightforward?

This is where Dynamic Ergonomics becomes relevant. In LiberNovo Omni Pro, the Bionic FlexFit Backrest uses flexible panels and pivot points to accommodate changes in posture. Dynamic Support coordinates the seat, backrest, and armrests. You set lumbar support separately using the armrest buttons and adjust the Neck Support to fit.

When comparing designs, ask the exhibitor to explain which parts respond as you move and which require an initial setting. Our guide to dynamic versus fixed support provides a starting point for those questions.

Fit that works across users and desks

Shared workspaces make adjustment a daily concern. A chair may have been set up for someone else before you arrive, so check how easily you can find a suitable position without a lengthy reset.

Look beyond the number of controls. Can the seat height range work with your desk? Can you use the backrest while keeping clearance behind your knees? Do the armrests support your forearms without blocking access to the keyboard?

For a team purchasing ergonomic seating, compare the available sizes and adjustment ranges with the people who will use them. One configuration may not suit everyone. A trial involving several users is more informative than choosing from a photograph alone. The Office Chair Size Guide explains which measurements to check.

Comfort within the whole workstation

A chair trial becomes more useful when it includes the desk, screen, and tasks around it. Try typing, reading a document, and using a second screen. Notice if you keep reaching forward or turning away from support.

The wider environment matters too. A shared office may need spaces for conversation alongside quieter areas for concentration. At home, a laptop setup may need changes to screen height and input-device placement. Seating is one part of making those settings usable.

Our working-from-home setup guide covers the relationship between the chair and the rest of your desk. Carry the same questions into a showroom or exhibition: how will this chair work with the equipment you actually use?

Turn a demonstration into a useful comparison

At a trade fair, it is tempting to move quickly between displays. Give each chair the same short sequence of tasks so you have something concrete to compare afterward.

A demonstration helps you narrow a shortlist. A longer trial at your own workstation is still valuable before a purchase or team rollout. Ask about trial conditions, returns, and support in your local market, since arrangements can differ by region.

Meet LiberNovo in Cologne

LiberNovo’s exhibition listing confirms its participation at ORGATEC 2026:

If you are attending, visit LiberNovo to experience Dynamic Ergonomics and discuss how seating fits the way you work. Use the comparison questions above to guide the conversation. Check the official ORGATEC website for visitor information and ticket arrangements.

If you are following remotely, the same priorities apply to your next desk update: support that remains useful as you change position, fit you can establish without unnecessary effort, and a workstation that supports your daily tasks.