Yeah test it first, put your full weight on it before trying any moves. I use my dining chairs because they're solid wood.

Oh man, I feel your pain with those random heat cuts. My system did the same thing last winter, and it was so annoying. Manual changes are the worst because they mess up the learning so badly. What worked for me was setting clear rules for everyone to stop touching the thermostat. Have you tried talking to your team about why it causes problems?