The health benefits of massage therapy in the workplace are many. Massage therapists perform massage in the workplace by bringing a portable massage chair to a place of business. The chair can be set up in the corner of a break room, in a conference room, or even in a hallway.

The therapist can also give massage right at the employee's desk using some pillows so the employee can lean forward on the desk. A desktop system which has a face cradle can be purchased and used as well. The desktop system has clamps that enable it to attach to the employee's desk. A folding chair with pillows can also be used with the client sitting backwards in the chair, leaning forward.

More and more companies are realizing the value of workplace massage. Human Resources really pushes the health benefits of massage therapy to both management and employees. They now know that employees who receive regular workplace massage perform better at their jobs.

Employees call in sick less and have a more positive attitude about being in the workplace and getting the job done efficiently. Many employees look forward to going to work on the day the massage therapist brings his/her chair to the workplace.

The time slots on the therapist's schedule for workplace massage fill up quickly. Some companies get such a big response that they bring in two or three therapists instead of just one. Other companies offer massage several days a week.

Some insightful companies actually have their own massage therapists onsite to deal with any medical issues or stress issues as soon as they come up. This has the potential to save the company a huge amount of money in worker's compensation dollars for problems such as carpal tunnel syndrome.

Normally the therapist should go through the Human Resources Department to be approved to perform workplace massage. The company will usually require the therapist to have liability insurance which the therapist should already have for his or her protection.

The Human Resources representative and the therapist will work out how the therapist gets paid:

Either the company pays it all for the employees

The company and employee each pay part of the fee or

The employee pays the total fee

This should all be determined ahead of time and should be specified in the contract given to the therapist.

The massage chair should be lightweight and have strong support with an adjustable seat, chest pad, armrest, and face support. It should fold and unfold easily and a carrying case with wheels is a plus!

The therapist should bring client intake forms to obtain a medical history for each employee. Face cradle covers and sanitary wipes should also be brought by the therapist.

A good trick for the therapist is to cover the face cradle with a flannel cover and then put the disposable cover or paper towel on top of the flannel cover and it will stick like magic! Then just change the disposable cover after each employee.

The vinyl portions of the chair that come into contact with skin should be properly sanitized after each employee. Click here for information on proper sanitation methods.

If employees are paying, payment should be collected at the end of the massage.

The therapist may choose to have relaxing music playing while giving the massages provided it is okay with the company.

Some massage therapists take a table to the workplace as well as a massage chair. The main disadvantage in using the table is that clean sheets are needed for each client.

At the end of the day, there could be quite a large pile of laundry for the massage therapist to carry back to his/her office to wash. Remember, changing the sheets after every client are to stop the spread of germs from one employee to the next. This is what makes chair massage a better alternative in so many instances.

This is not a suggestion--it is a necessity! After all, if the employees get each other's germs, the health benefits of massage therapy are outweighed.

To the left, a mall Christmas shopper is getting a chair massage after hours of busy Christmas shopping.

Note the position of the massage therapist. The technique the massage therapist is using is called ironing. Using the bony portion of his forearm, he slides it down the back several times with a good amount of pressure. This feels great to the client. One of the health benefits of massage therapy is to make aching muscles feel better and that is exactly what this therapist is doing.

Workplace Massage:

Increases performance and production

Shows that the employer cares

Cuts down on absenteeism due to illness

Relieves tension and stress

Calms and soothes the employee

Relieves overused muscles

Leaves the employee more alert

Gives greater flexibility to the employee which means added speed

Creates a feeling of well being

Yes, workplace massage really does benefit employees. I have worked in companies that offer chair massage and the employees look forward to this day each week. If you work for a company who offers chair massage, take advantage of it. It is more refreshing than a coffee break and so much better for your body.

Seated office massage is another term for chair massage in the workplace. The great thing about massage chairs is that they are portable so they can be taken into the office by massage therapists.

It is convenient for the office workers who can get a chair massage during their breaks and lunch periods.

A stimulating chair massage will do much more to revive office workers who are dozing off due to their mind-numbing jobs than the typical cup of coffee or bottle of soda that they usually grab during their breaks.

A 15 minute massage session while sitting in a massage chair will refresh employees, waking them up fully so they can go back to their desks, revived and ready to produce, produce, produce!

Seated office massage can be performed almost anywhere in the workplace. The lunchroom, a vacant conference room, a corner of the office, even in the lobby.

Some businesses will treat their employees by paying 100% of the cost of chair massage. These intelligent employers realize that wellness increases employee morale and makes employees feel like their employer cares about them. This in turn makes employees feel grateful and want to please their employer. Other businesses have not thought about this...

Other companies split the cost with their employees. Still other companies allow massage therapists into the office, but the employees have to pay 100% of the cost of their massages. They must also get the massage on their own time, either during a 15 minute break, lunch period, or after work.

This is what they do where I used to work. We would pay $15 for a 15 minute session and get neck, shoulder, and back work only. The therapists there will not do arms or hands and they use a table instead of a massage chair. Not sure why. I asked them but did not get a satisfactory answer. They are with a "massage in a box" company.

They only go into that office once every two weeks which is not often enough with over 300 employees who sit all day long in front of a computer. Most of them do not take advantage of the massages because there is not enough time. The therapists run behind because set up and taking payment is not factored into the 15 minute session so clients have to wait instead of starting their appointment on time.

Seated office massage is a great idea but your employer has to be flexible and understanding, realizing that it is okay on massage day to take a little longer than the standard 15 minute break.