Massage in the workplace is gaining in popularity. Primarily due to the benefits that it can bring to to both the employee and employer. Stress negatively affects productivity, so it’s easy to see that providing this service to employees can be a sound investment. Healthy and happy employees make for productive employees and end result is that the employer loses fewer days annually due to employee health issues. Workplace massage not only helps to relieve work related tension and stress, but it also helps with improving the office morale. Knowing that your employer is investing in the overall health of their employees goes a long way towards making the staff feel appreciated and valued.
The phrase ‘workplace massage’ generally comes with a mixed response from workers. While some people are intrigued by the idea, others are a little worried about having to undress for the experience, but receiving a massage at work requires little more than an ounce or two of willingness.
The massage therapist comes to your office or workplace and sets the table up in a small area that has been arranged as to provide adequate privacy for the session. Each individual session usually lasts somewhere between 15 and 30 minutes and is generally geared towards relieving tension and stress as well as treating or preventing repetitive strain related injuries. The additional benefits massage therapy in the workplace can provide include improving circulation, boosting the immune system, reducing muscle pain, lowering blood pressure, relieving headaches, enhancing flexibility and improving mental capabilities. After the massage session employees are left revitalized and ready to return to work immediately.
The Benefits to the Employer
A 1996 study published in the International Journal of Neuroscience found that it only took a 15 minute massage two times a week for five weeks to improve alertness, reduce anxiety and that it even produced a measurable increase in both speed and accuracy in regards to mathematical computations.
Though the primary objective of workplace massage is the relief of tension and stress suffered by workers, there are other preventative benefits that gained through massage. Even if you feel that your team is functioning perfectly at the moment and that there is nominal absenteeism, you still might consider massage in your workplace as a preventative measure to help keep your team fit, healthy and morale elevated. Compared to various other benefits many employers offer, massage is a relatively inexpensive option, especially when both the employer and employee get to reap the rewards.
So Who Pays?
When it comes down to the cost of massage, there are a several of options at your disposal. The employer could pay the entire cost of the session, the employee and employer might meet the cost 50/50 or the employee might pay for the entire cost of the treatment as the employer is providing the necessary venue via the office to accommodate the therapist and allowing workers the time away from their desks for treatment.
For smaller companies, it can be somewhat impractical or even impossible to provide on site table massage due to space constraints. Companies finding themselves in this position frequently choose desk massage as it does not require a table yet it still allows for the employees to receive the benefits of massage.