The BBC has employed someone specifically as a ‘chair champion’ so that staff moving to Salford Quays can learn how to sit on their new seats.
As part of the corporation’s £877million project staff at ‘MediaCityUK’ have been given a choice of three different high-tech chairs.
They will be given help to choose the chair that is right for them and the ‘chair champion’ will give guidance on how to use it properly as part of the Beeb’s health and safety training.
Local councillor, Karen Garrido, leader of Salford Conservatives, said: ‘What a waste of money. I can’t believe we need to teach people how to sit on their chairs. They aren’t children.’
Bosses at the corporation said it was part of the standard practice for inductions to new buildings and a spokesman said that the person doing the job was part of the health and safety role.
She said: ‘Every BBC staff member is given training on how to use their chars as part of their health and safety training exercise.
‘It is standard practice for inductions to new buildings.’
Five departments are moving north including BBC Breakfast and BBC sport as part of the project with Match of the Day, Newsround and Blue Peter all heading to MediaCityUK.
Some departments have already moved to the site where 2,300 people will eventually work.
Employees will learn which bus or tram they need to catch or how to find the base by car or bike.
As part of its preparations bosses set up six sessions covering different aspects of getting to work, under the heading Transport to MediaCityUK Briefing Day.
The day inludes talks on parking and cycle provision, the city’s Metrolink light rail service, help in how to buy tickets, information on bus services and individual journey planning sessions.