As massage and relaxation continue to gain popularity, more and more business owners and bosses alike are realizing the importance of massage in the work place. From the 
small companies right up to the fortune 500 companies all are realizing that happy and relaxed employees makes for more productive employees.
First off when I say, to bring massage into the office setting I am not talking about a full 45 minuet massage, where you have to remove clothing. There is a new way to provide massages and that is by a chair massage.
This type of massage focuses on the trouble problems most of us have from sitting in an office chair day in and day out while performing work on the computer often typing on the keyboard and using the mouse while talking on the phone throughout the day. More and more offices are providing this type of massage to their employees as a way for them to take a ten or fifteen minute breaks away from their daily stressors and provide a relaxing escape for them.
So how is the chair massage different from a tradition massage you ask? First off with the traditional massage you must disrobe and lay down on a flat massage bed and those types of massages usually last anywhere from thirty minutes to an hour. Let’s get real here, not one boss is going to be ok with their employee being away from their desk for a half hour let alone an hour. So this is where the chair massage comes in, the chair used for the massage has been specifically designed for the client to be comfortable while sitting.
This type of massage focuses on the neck, back, head, shoulders, arms and hands. If you’re like most of us that work in front of a computer you hold your stress in those areas. This type of massage chair is fully adjustable and can accommodate any size and shape. No oils or lotions are applied during this treatment. Usually the therapists will focus on relieving stress and tension and can also help to relieve chronic strains as well. In addition, massage has been shown to boost the immune system, thus creating healthier employees and ultimately less sick days. As well as improving mental capabilities, lowering blood pressure and enhancing flexibility.
Many employers are realizing that providing such a service to their employees will help them to be more productive as well help with office dynamics. It has been shown that stress in the office can result in poor office morale, with an increase in depression and anxiety among employees. A study done in 1996 by Shulman and Jones of the Touch Research Institute in Miami, Florida, showed a mere fifteen minute chair massage was more effective than a simple fifteen minute break. In addition the study showed a reduction in overall anxiety and an improved feeling of well being. In addition, it has been shown that just two fifteen-minute chair massages a week can boost brain performance.
Some employers have begun to offer chair massage services to their employees as part of a wellness package. However, it has been shown that if employers were to make this type of massage available to their employees they would gladly pay for the service out of their own pockets. In addition, some are choosing to make this service an incentive for their employees to perform well and create a push from them.
So who performs these types of chair massages? There are many mobile massage therapists that come right to you. All you do is provide a nice quiet place for your employees to relax during their massage. If you don’t have a space you can designate relay that to the mobile massage company you are thinking of working with and they may be able to perform massage right at your employees desk.
In my opinion dedicating a quiet space where an employee can escape their day to day computer work and the constant ringing of the office phone would benefit everyone. I myself get frequent massages and doing so has helped my posture while at my computer, my mental clarity as well as helped to relax away the day to day stressors of owning an online computer repair company.
Article by Heather Deprey
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