Empty Office Chair

The term 'empty office chair' has different meanings and manifestations in different contexts, primarily involving psychological adjustment and the commercial office industry.

Psychological Adjustment Scenario

In the field of psychological adjustment, an empty office chair is often used as a unique tool for emotional catharsis. When professionals face stress,困扰 (distress, here translated as 'distress' to convey the sense of trouble or unease) or accumulate negative emotions internally, they may imagine the empty chair as the object of their dissatisfaction, such as a supervisor, colleague, or the subject of a troubling event. By pouring out complaints, grievances, anger, and other emotions to the empty chair, individuals can achieve emotional release and psychological adjustment. For example, someone might pull out a dining chair alone at night, treating it as an outlet for venting, and pour out all their inner dissatisfaction. This process of venting not only helps individuals sort out their emotions but also brings an unprecedented sense of lightness after finishing, as if shedding a heavy psychological burden.

Commercial Office Industry Scenario

In the commercial office industry, empty office chairs have become a vivid portrayal of industry changes. Affected by factors such as downward pressure on the global economy, the widespread adoption of remote work models, and waves of layoffs, the commercial office industry has witnessed a widespread phenomenon of empty buildings and idle desks and chairs. Many major internet companies and shared office giants have been selling off idle assets such as office chairs to recoup funds or reduce losses. For instance, during Twitter's online auction of its 'remaining office assets,' the highly sought-after same-model Eames chair had a starting bid of only $50; shared office giant WeWork also sold off a large number of high-end office furniture, with brand-new HAY chairs worth thousands of yuan being placed on the shelves for as little as 500 yuan. Additionally, ofo sold a large number of second-hand 9AM electric adjustable-height desks on second-hand trading platforms, and Meituan experienced the surrender of entire buildings for rent in the Wangjing area, releasing a significant amount of office space and leaving behind idle office chairs. These empty office chairs not only reflect the current state of the commercial office industry but also foreshadow future development trends and challenges in the industry.