Benefits of Massage- A women face down in massage chair getting neck rubbed

Benefits of Massage

Amelia Wilcox
July 2, 2020
October 9, 2022
Body

The benefits of corporate massage are far reaching for employees and employers alike. If you’re thinking about bringing chair massage into the office, you probably want to know what the benefits of chair massage might look like for your office. We are committed to answering your questions, so let's get started.  

Benefits of Massage for the Employees

Many of the benefits of massage for your employees are similar to the benefits of getting a full body massage, but in the comfort and convenience of your workplace. Onsite massage eliminates the need to travel and is a fraction of the cost. Plus, chair massage makes massage therapy accessible to those within your organization who are uncomfortable getting undressed and would otherwise never experience massage without it.

All the studies used here have been done on EMPLOYER-PROVIDED 15–20-minute chair massages at work.  

1. Reduces stress

A whopping 85% stress reduction! Stress levels measured before and after each massage found one of the biggest benefits of seated massage therapy to be a seriously effective office stress reliever.

2. Decreases anxiety and depression

One of the big benefits of massage is that massage reduces anxiety by 26% and depression scores also improve by 28% after the massage.

3. Relieves muscle tension and pain

Back pain is literally cut in half with regular massages. A decrease of 48% decrease was seen in the studies on back pain and tension.

4. Improves quality of sleep

Over multiple studies, the average improvement in sleep quality was 28%. That includes increased duration as well as fewer sleep disturbances.

5. Relieves headaches

Headaches are decreased by an average of 48% in duration and intensity with regular onsite massages.

6. Lowers blood pressure

Across multiple studies, there was an average of a 6% drop in blood pressure.

7. Prevents repetitive strain injuries

On employees doing repetitive movements, weekly massage reduces the occurrence of repetitive stress injuries by 37%.

8. Increases immune function

In the studies on immune function, the good cells of the body perform 35% better as one of the benefits of massage, and this is especially true for auto immune and inflammatory illnesses.

9. Treats carpal tunnel and tendonitis

One of the benefits of massage is that people with carpal tunnel and tendonitis issues see a decrease in pain and discomfort by 14%.

10. Increases focus, energy and mental clarity

After chair massages, employees in two studies show increased alertness, speed and accuracy on math computations following treatment.

Let me reiterate that these numbers are all from 15–20-minute chair massages at work!

Benefits of Massage in the Workplace

Now what do all those benefits for the employees translate into for your company? What is this really going to do for the bottom line?

1. Increase employee productivity

Employees simply give more to organizations who take good care of them.

Aaron Call, VP of Sales and Operations at G&A Partners:

“Productivity and overall employee satisfaction has increased, and our customer service ratings have improved as well. Providing workplace massage for our employees has been a great investment for our company with an excellent ROI that is ultimately experienced by our customers.”

2. Attract top talent

In our competitive marketplace, it pays to have an ace up your sleeve. There are lots of fun and creative perks to help draw top talent into your organization, and massage is at the top of the list.

Brandon Fish, VP of Human Resources at Property Solutions:

“As we recruit new talent, massage is an attractive benefit for our potential new employees. We are glad we made the decision to add massage services as one of our perks.”

3. Increase employee retention

In addition to attracting top talent, that talent will stick around when they feel appreciated.

4. Decrease Worker’s Compensation claims

This goes back to the employee benefits of treating carpal tunnel and tendonitis and preventing repetitive stress injuries. Since those issues are being effectively addressed, the number of Worker’s Compensation claims goes down.

5. Reduce Health Care Costs

In a recent study on the effects of corporate massage on health care costs, employees experiencing low back pain that received chair massage spent 31% less on doctor’s visits and prescription medication.

6. Improve office morale

Noelle Bates, VP of Marketing at Needle:

“Our employees circle massage day on their calendars and mention often how much they appreciate the program and look forward to coming into work on that day in particular.”

We hear this same experience from just about every single client we have.

Disclaimer

By participating in/reading the service/website/blog/email series on this website, you acknowledge that this isa personal website/blog and is for informational purposes and should not be seen as mental health care advice. You should consult with a licensed professional before you rely on this website/blog’s information. All things written on this website should not be seen as therapy treatment and should not take the place of therapy or any other health care or mental health advice. Always seek the advice of a mental health care professional or physician. The content on this blog is not meant to and does not substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment

Amelia Wilcox
Amelia Wilcox
Amelia Wilcox is the Founder and CEO of Nivati, a leader in corporate massage and employee mental health support since 2010. Her high-growth B2B company provides employee stress management tools that arm businesses with actionable data and positive employee experiences to improve wellbeing, boost morale, and increase engagement. Amelia has exponentially grown her company from a solo living-room service business to an international technology brand.