What can corporate massage do for your company?

23 Oct What can corporate massage do for your company?

 

What can corporate massage do for your company ?

Stress in the workplace is at an all time high. This is due to the threat of redundancy or losing contracts, extra workloads, meeting deadlines and that people have their own personal struggles and stresses going on.

So what can be done to boost morale in the workplace, reduce absenteeism, boost productivity and show your employees that you are concerned for their well-being?

Corporate massage could be the answer.

What is corporate massage?

Corporate massage is massage that takes place in the workplace. The massages are carried out on an ergonomically designed chair with the client fully clothed. Sessions can be from 10 minutes to 30 minutes. Most treatments are 20 minutes long and fantastic results can be achieved in this time. A therapist will arrive with all the equipment required, all the company needs to provide is a warm private small space.

Why does a company need corporate massage?

•  It has been shown that absence levels have dropped (47% for companies with well-being strategies in place compared to 35% for those who don’t),
• Boosts morale and well-being amongst the workforce,
• Increases productivity,
• Shows future employees you care about their well-being,

• You will have happy healthy employees.

 

CIPD Absence Survey 2012 report.

Here is a summary of the findings of the report.

Minor illnesses such as colds, flu, stomach upsets, headaches and migraines are the most common cause of short term absence from work. Musculoskeletal injuries, back pain and stress are the next most common causes of short-term absence. Stress is common amongst non maual workers where as musculoskeletal injuries and back pain are more common in manual workers.

The most common causes of long-term absence are stress, acute medical conditions (for example stroke, heart attack and cancer), mental ill health, musculoskeletal injuries and back pain.It appears that overall absence levels have drecreased over the past year by, on average, a day per employee. This could be due to employees attending work even when they are unwell as they are worried they may lose their jobs or because many work places now have well-being strategies in place which are helping the work force to remain happy and healthy.

 How can corporate massage help with absenteeism in the workplace?

Massage therapy could help with all of the above reasons for employees being absent from work. Here’s how.

Colds, flu and upset stomachs – Massage boosts the immune system, improves circulation and helps to remove toxins stored in the body. If the bodies immune system is working well the chances of picking up coughs and colds are reduced.

Headaches and migraines – these can be caused by a number of issues, tension held in the back, neck and shoulders, eye strain, high stress levels, and tension held in the scalp and face. A massage can work on all of these areas paying attention to particular areas of tension and helping to release them. Acupressure points can also be used to assist with headaches.

Musculoskeletal injuries and back pain – pain can be caused by various factors such as poor posture, sitting at a desk or driving a vehicle for long periods of time, lifting, or repetative movements. Massage therapy may help with stretching of the muscles, mobilising troublesome joints, easing tense muscle and releasing the bodies own natural painkiller.

Stress and mental health issues – massage helps to soothe the nervous system and to release endorphins into the body. Massage can be tailored to suit the individual, whether they need a stress relief gentle massage or if they need a stimulating energising massage.

Acute medical conditions – massage may help your employees that have problems due to having had a stroke, heart attack, arthritis. It would depend on each individual as to what needs they have and how massage would benefit them but by having corporate massage in the workplace this could reduce the number of days absent employees with acute medical conditions take.

Studies that have shown the positive effects of massage in the workplace.

K. A. Shulman & G.E. Jones

35 employees from a manufacturing company were offered massage, their stress levels were measured before the massage using well known anxiety tests.

Participants were given a 15 minute clothed massage every week for 6 weeks. There was also a control group that did not receive the massage therapy.

Anxiety levels were measured before, during and after. All participants showed above average stress levels before the study began. By the end of the study it was shown that the stress levels of the massage group were well below average compared to the control group. After the study had finished the stress levels did rise for the massage group, however they did not reach the level recorded before the study started.

If you wish to know more about this study then click on this link http://xanda.net/xhilarate/pressreleases/orV6D32H_MassageintheWorkplace-SpecialReport.pdf

The Miami Research Institute of Florida carried out a study, a group of employees were given a 15 minute chair massage while a control just sat for 15 minutes. After the 15 minutes they were both asked to complete a maths test. The results were that the group that had received the massage were able to complete the maths test with better results.

There are other studies out there that have concluded that corporate massage can have big benefits for your company.

So if stress and high absence rates are affecting your company then why not give corporate massage a try.