We all know that massage can relieve stress and muscle tension, but many of us don’t have time to truly kick back and enjoy a full pamper session. However, if you regularly work with display screen equipment, massage therapy could be incredibly beneficial for your back, neck, and shoulders. If only there was a way to bring it into the office…
Fortunately, there is! If you want to boost your team’s health and wellbeing, arranging a desk massage day could be a fantastic step.
Let’s explore how desk massage works and why setting up an office massage session could improve morale and productivity.
While a full-body massage requires you to lie on a table, a desk massage is simply a seated massage that can take place at your desk. A qualified massage therapist will gently work on your neck, shoulders, and upper back to release tension and any knots. The best part is that the massage will be fully clothed and at your desk or workstation. So there’s no need to worry about travel time or undressing.
Like any other form of massage, this variety uses touch, pressure, and soft tissue manipulation to help reduce stress, relieve aches and pains, and lift your mood. However, standard massages take up to 90 minutes – and busy office workers often can’t regularly spare an hour and a half, especially during the week.
With a desk session, you can enjoy all the benefits of massage in an expedited timeframe of 15 to 30 minutes. This means you can hop straight back to work with minimal disruption to your day.
As well as being quick and convenient, seated desk massages can do wonders for your team’s health, wellbeing, and productivity.
DSE workers often spend hours hunched over a laptop or computer monitor, which can lead to aching muscles and a range of desk injuries.
While a DSE assessment can evaluate your employees’ workstations and make them more ergonomic, a workplace desk massage can reduce any lingering aches and pains. Organising regular desk massage sessions can keep muscle soreness, strain, and other common back problems at bay.
As well as aches and pains, too much screen time, a lack of movement, and muscular tension can all lead to fatigue. Massage is a great way to combat this – it helps increase blood flow to your muscles and brain, giving you a welcome energy boost. Not only does this leave you feeling refreshed and alert, but it also means you’re more likely to feel motivated.
Alongside the physical benefits, workplace desk massages show that an employer cares and wants to support their team’s wellbeing – this, in turn, can be a significant motivator.
A positive company culture, fostered in part through employee benefits like desk massages means greater productivity. Being more alert enables employees to tackle challenges more effectively and manage their workloads more efficiently.
Desk massage can increase productivity in another way, too – by reducing sick days. A build-up of physical, mental, and emotional stress can result in employees needing time off to recuperate.
A report commissioned by the British Beauty Council indicates that touch and massage therapy in the workplace could reduce employee sick days by 1.76 million, saving the UK £10.5 billion.
No matter what industry you’re in, long hours and heavy workloads can cause stress levels to rise. However, taking time to switch off and receive a massage can lower the heart rate and encourage relaxation. Just 15 minutes of massage inhibits the release of stress hormones, such as cortisol, epinephrine, and norepinephrine.
Taking regular breaks is highly recommended for all DSE workers. So whether it’s a walk to the coffee station or a 15-minute massage, short intervals of respite throughout the day can do wonders for your wellbeing.
As well as relieving stress and physical discomfort, massage is a real mood booster. It encourages the body to release feel-good endorphins, dopamine, and serotonin, which can reduce signs of anxiety and depression.
Moreover, arranging workplace desk massage sessions for your team shows that you care. Feeling appreciated and looked out for can help employees stay motivated and driven.
How often you arrange workplace chair massages is down to you. For instance, you may offer it as a treat for your team to celebrate a big win. However, to get the most out of the positive effects of massage, we recommend looking at regular desk massage days.
Weekly sessions can help your employees start the week with a positive attitude or unwind at the end of it. Regular massage days can also reduce the risk of strain and desk injuries. When combined with an ergonomic workstation, your team should be in all set up to work comfortably and productively.
At Workhappy, we recognise the importance of maintaining staff health – both physically and mentally. Our wellbeing services provide all you need to ensure your team is happy and healthy.
Discover more about our desk massage days, nutrition workshops, and mindfulness workshops or feel free to get in touch with any questions.
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