There are clear benefits to preventing
work-related stress:
• Quality of working life: employees feel happier and more valued
and perform better
• Improved attendance/sickness: attendance levels go up/ sickness
absence goes down
•
Increased productivity & profits: as productivity
goes up, company profits increase
• Improved employment relations: reduced risk of future employment
tribunals
If employers can reduce stress they can reduce their costs,
so it makes perfect sense to provide some means of stress
relief in the workplace.
More and more employers are aware that a regular massage
can reduce the physical and mental effects of stress, thus
reducing burnout and stress related diseases. Moreover, they
are heeding the call by introducing massage therapy in the
workplace, not only as a perk but also to increase productivity
and morale.
A study by the Touch Research Institute at the University
of Miami found that after five weeks, a group of 26 employees
who had twice-weekly, 15-minute massages in the office fared
better than a controlled group of 24 employees who were just
told to close their eyes and relax
Benefits to Massaged Group |
Benefits to Controlled Group |
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- increased maths and problem solving in half
the time and with half the errors
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- less fatigued and more clear headed
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In addition, using electroencephalograms (EEG), researchers
measured alpha and beta waves in both groups and found massage
recipients to be more alert and stress hormones in their
saliva were lower than in the controlled group.
There are no statistics on the number of companies that
offer massage therapy on-site, but those that do offer it
include law, insurance and accountancy firms, banks, hospitals,
transport providers, manufacturers and some corporations
in the city.
- Do you want to provide a more friendly, stress-free
working environment?
- Do you want a happier, more productive
workforce?
- Do you want an increase in profits?
If you answered yes to all three questions then read on.
In September 2004, I was contracted by London Underground
to provide stress relief to members of staff at their Head
Office on the 1st Friday of each month to include Indian
Head Massage, Thai Seated Massage and Reiki. The response
and feedback from members of staff was so positive that by
November 2004, I was providing treatments on the 1st and
3rd Friday in each month together with a further day at a
new location. The success of the above can be further measured
by the fact that individual staff members pay for their own
treatments. This is a unique situation as most companies
see stress relief as a perk or will offer a subsidy – the
fact that staff are prepared to finance their own treatments
indicates the importance they place on this facility.
My therapists are fully trained to carry out a variety of
seated massage techniques and all hold valid professional
and public liability insurance. Learn to manage and control
stress through Life Coaching, a powerful process that supports
clients in making choices, providing a framework and support
mechanism to set clear objectives for the future. Because
every company is unique in the way it operates and objectives
may vary, my package is designed to suit your business.
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Why not stage your own in-house Stress Awareness Day where
members of your staff can pop-in throughout the day to
talk to suitably qualified therapists about ways of reducing
and managing stress levels and try out different relaxation
treatments.
If your company is committed to reducing stress in the workplace
or you would like further information, please do not hesitate
to contact me. I am very happy to visit your office to discuss
a tailor-made plan for the future well being of your employees.
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