Benefits of Massage Therapy in the Workplace

As more and more people become desk bound owing to the requirements of the modern workplace, neck, wrist, shoulder and back problems have proliferated. It just isn’t natural for people to sit in one position working all day, but that’s just what most people have to do. What can employers do about it? We’re not just talking about ‘goodwill’ here, we’re talking about a genuine health risk that results in down-time for key employees, sick leave and an increased volume of claims related to workplace injuries.

Impairment of blood and lymph circulation contribute to many of these problems and can be remedied with massage. Symptoms of impaired circulation include mental fogginess, low energy levels and stress related injuries. Massage for as little as 15 minutes at a time gets the circulation going and leaves employees feeling refreshed and alert.

Employers have reported an improvement in on the job performance and accuracy as well as less stress-related illnesses when they apply massage therapy as a workplace perk. Authorities have shown that repetitive stress injuries such as carpal tunnel syndrome are the leading cause of absenteeism these days and a day spent behind the computer is sufficient to prove that aches, pains and pinched nerves can reasonably expected from workers in such conditions.

Research shows that massage therapy reduces the incidence of workman’s compensation claims and noticeably reduces absenteeism and its related costs. These benefits have been confirmed by major businesses that have offered massage therapy to employees and it’s not just the big corporates that are offering massage as a perk. More and more businesses are experiencing the benefits of workplace massage and find that these benefits outweigh the cost which is described as ‘modest’.

More and more, massage is recognised as the therapeutic treatment it is, rather than just as a luxury item. Physicians identify the potential benefits of massage and more of them are prescribing it to patients suffering from a variety of ailments. Research has proven that apart from the obvious benefits such as easing muscle pain and preventing repetitive stress injury, massage boosts the immune system – another reason why companies are reporting significant improvement in attendance figures.

To sum up: massage therapy helps to keep employees alert and reduces the frequency of workplace injuries, employees see it as a valuable perk but it is nonetheless cost effective. Work attendance, work standard and productivity improve significantly and the added benefit of a boost to the immune system means less time off owing to illness. These benefits have been endorsed by business professionals, HR researchers, physicians and employees alike.

Does your workplace regularly employ a corporate massage therapist? If so, what benefits have you had from workplace massage?

Resources:

• Massage Therapy in the Workplace: Reducing Employee Strain and Blood Pressure
• Image Source: Tulane University