Stress is a major contributor to unproductive, unhappy employees. Many companies today are beginning to realize that if they keep their employees happy and healthy that they will be more productive.
The Boeing Company in Paget Sound, Washington has realized this and it has profited through on site Massage Therapy.
Boeing made massage part of its wellness program. Employees are encouraged to receive massage at work to relieve their stress. Massage is a wonderful stress-management tool. If employees are less stressed and feel healthier, chances are they will be more productive.
Hopefully other corporations will follow Boeing’s lead and begin to add massage therapy as one of the benefits they offer under their wellness plans. Corporations suffered major loss of production from illnesses which might have been prevented if their employees had been offered massage therapy as a wellness option.
In a California study, on-site massage helped to maintain employees job satisfaction, while control-group employees job satisfaction diminished.
There are different plans a corporation can follow in offering massage therapy to their employees. The corporation can pay for the massage therapy either 100%, or they can opt for a plan where the corporation pays for half of the cost of the massage and the employee pays for the other half, or the corporation may decide the cost is the employee’s responsibility.
Benefits of Massage Therapy in the Workplace
Massage Therapy in the workplace is a simple, cost-effective way to:
- Relieve Stress and Tension
- Increase Productivity
- Improve Employee Moral
- Improve overall employee health by decreasing and even preventing the ill effects of stress
Offering massage therapy at the office gives your employees easy access to this beneficial treatment, and shows them that you care about their health and well-being.
Appreciated, stress-free employees are more productive and happier in their jobs. Employers have also found that offering massage therapy in the workplace has more than employee relations’ benefits.
An Ontario company reported a 25% reduction in time-off for work related injuries and compensation claims dropped by $200,000 after implementing a massage therapy program (Financial Times, 1992).
Studies have shown that job stress and anxiety were reduced while alertness and performance on math tests were increased following in-chair massage therapy (International Journal of Neuroscience, 1996)
Massage therapy in the workplace just makes good business “cents“.
What to Expect
A Massage Therapist will come to your workplace with a massage chair. The massage chair is portable and does not take up much space. The design of the chair allows a relaxing and comfortable position for you and easy access for the therapist to treat your back, neck, shoulders, arms and hands.
Treatments usually last 10-15 minutes. Treatments vary between relaxation massage to assist in relieving tension and treatments designed to prevent or treat repetitive strain injuries. You remain fully clothed and no oils are used.
This makes for an ideal workplace treatment and leaves you feeling refreshed and ready to return to work.
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