CEO buys ‘luxury throne’ for his office while HR refuses to buy new chair for employee with back problems, employee protests: ‘His new chair costs more than my monthly rent’

Author image for Bar Mor Hazut
Bar Mor Hazut • Senior Editor
Mar 3, 2026 10:00 AM EST

The king sits on his throne while his workers are forced to sit on… broken office chairs.

No one tells you that one of the hardest parts of having a normal desk job is not the commute, or the annoying boss, but the horrible office chairs that make you feel like you're at least 10 years older than you are. Even though these companies require most of the employees to sit in front of a desk for 8 hours a day, five days a week, none of them invest in seats that actually make that possible. The chairs in an average office are either wobbly, missing an armrest, falling apart, or all of the above, and no one seems too eager to do anything about it.

Most employees, who don't wish to deal with back problems at the ripe age of 28, find creative solutions to this problem. They fix their chairs, swap faulty pieces, and assemble a good enough seat to make do. But those who find themselves wincing every couple of minutes because their backs are so sore must turn to the only place that can actually fix the issue… Human Resources.

HR is the one department that truly has the power to ensure that employees are happy with the way the office operates, especially when it comes to the office supplies. If employees are missing anything or in need of a certain item, HR is supposed to be the one to provide it. Unfortunately, in most offices, HR is also the one who always says no to these requests, which is exactly what happened in the story below.

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  • The employee below has been working in the same office for the past 7 years, so you can imagine the kind of back pain they suffer from by having the same desk job for nearly a decade.

    Lately, it had gotten bad enough that the employee turned to HR in a plea for a better office chair, but they were told that this single item is ‘out of the HR budget’. Meanwhile, the CEO arrive to the office in a brand new, $3000 throne, and the employee realised exactly how the priorities work in the company they've given their heart and soul to.

  • Back View of a Young Businessman Suffering from Back Pain in Office
    via pixelshot

    Back View of a Young Businessman Suffering from Back Pain in Office.

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • CEO flexes $3K luxury throne at all-hands while HR literally tells me my destroyed spine 'isn't in the budget'.

    So a quick rant. I've been at this company since 2019 doing mostly desk work, like 8 to 10 hours a day.
    via ansangoiam
  • my lower back has started totally protesting lately and HR told me ergonomic upgrades are 'not in the budget'.
    via ansangoiam
  • I just sat there like... seriously? at the exact same time, our founder was showing off his new chair during the all hands.
    via ansangoiam
  • some imported high end thing that costs way more than my monthly rent. I might be wrong but I'm not saying he can't buy nice stuff.
    via ansangoiam
  • It's his money. but how is their cash for that and somehow absolutely no money for a basic lumbar cushion or a decent chair for the rest of us?
    via ansangoiam
  • I asked what actually counts as reasonable reimbursement and the answer was super vague. no clear policy at all.
    via ansangoiam
  • they said it just depends. and if you have a doctor's note they might consider it... might.
    via ansangoiam
  • So, basically I started looking for my own setup. you'd think the premium steelcase chairs at work would be better, but after sitting in a friends nouhaus (weird name, I know) over the weekend, I realized how much my office chair actually s ks.
    via ansangoiam
  • its crazy that a mid-range chair | can actually afford feels better than the corporate approved ones.
    via ansangoiam
  • tbh I'm probably going to bite the bullet and just get one, but even at a reasonable price, it just feels so wrong.
    via ansangoiam
  • why am I subsidizing my own workspace for a company that definately doesnt care if my back gives out?
    via ansangoiam
  • Empty office desks with chairs and office supplies
    via @stefanut-savas-images

    Empty office desks with chairs and office supplies.

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • Honestly I really do not get it. if a company expects full time desk work, should they not provide basic ergonomic support?
    via ansangoiam
  • and I even explicitly said I wouldn't take the chair with me if I left. I would literally be replacing the old company chair out of my own pocket.
    via ansangoiam
  • HR still said no. What the actual h I. Quick question, how are your companies handling this?
    via ansangoiam
  • do you get a set stipend or do you just have to fight for every dollar?
    via ansangoiam
  • Ru_yek the fact that theres no written policy is the biggest red flag here. if it 'just depends', that usually just means no.
    via Ru_yek
  • ansangoiam Original Poster's Reply yeah that's exactly how it feels. like you have to literally beg and hope for the best.
    via ansangoiam
  • Flat-Ad3097 honestly if you liked the nouhaus at your friends place, just get it. I have the ergo3d at home and its been solid for two years. mesh is breathable and the lumbar is adjustable enough that my back doesnt hate me anymore.
    via Flat-Ad3097
  • ansangoiam Original Poster's Reply That's pretty good to hear. How's it holding up long term? any issues with the casters or the mesh sagging?
    via ansangoiam
  • Safe_Plane772 The absolute dumbest thing you can do is trade your health for a company's bottom line. Your boss isn't going to pay for your physical therapy in 10 years. Do yourself a favor and invest in a real chair, bro. you worth it.
    via Safe_Plane772
  • Strainedgoals Do a cheap tele-med visit over your phone, they'll probably give you the doctors note you need for work.
    via ansangoiam
  • Charleston2Seattle Look for a business liquidation company. I got a $2,000 Herman Miller Aeron chair for $600 at a liquidation place. If you put it right next to a brand new one, you couldn't tell the difference.
    via Charleston2Seattle
  • traveller-1-1 Mark the chair as yours. Big label. AirTag. Keep the receipt. Loudly tell everyone how you bought the chair as the company was too cheap.
    via traveller-1-1
  • GamiNami Anonymous Twitter post tagging the company and asking why the CEO has a new chair worth more than their employees rent, and why not extend the service to the office workers sitting on their a hours a day. See how they react. 8
    via GamiNami
  • Lady-of-Shivershale Engrave your name on multiple parts of the chair. I've read about colleagues stealing them and nobody caring.
    via Lady--Shivershale
  • Brent_L Used high end chair. I bought a Steelcase used for about $200 and it's one of the best chairs I ever sat in. Been my daily driver for almost 3 years now.
    via Brent_L

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boss workplace-stories office supplies employee hr manager job tales-from-the-workplace ceo Office workplace company money
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