Massage in the Workplace by Eleni Seitis

When you have had a busy and stressful week in the workplace, phones are constantly ringing, your work colleagues keep piling work onto you, there is an urgent deadline tomorrow for the task you have been assigned and you are only halfway through, your computer keeps stalling or going slow which in turns slows your work down, your back is aching from sitting so long, and the coffee machine at work is on the blink; wouldn’t it be so delicious to have someone give you a back, shoulders and neck massage at work? For the moments you are gently and expertly being relaxed, you can forget about the work (and everything else going on in your life) and just let the massage dissolve the stress in your body.

In the workplace, people are at risk of musculoskeletal overload and injury, as well as disruptive stress events, thus requiring a prompt and efficient intervention disengaging the bodily and emotional discomfort they are experiencing. Studies involving seated-chair massages in the workplace have shown effectiveness in relieving musculoskeletal overload and discomfort of the spine and upper limbs and a reduction in the symptoms due to stress exposure, like burnout and compassion fatigue. This preventative form of healthcare works well in the work environment and provides a safe release for unexpressed or suppressed emotions.

Wellness is about having a balanced life by making healthy choices leading to an enhanced quality of life that builds resilience within the body and mind, leading to prevention of stress and disease so that people can contribute to the world with a sense of meaning and purpose. Stress arising from the workplace is a major contributor to many health conditions such as occupational stress, depression, anxiety, poor job performance, burnout, musculoskeletal disorders, immune suppression, difficulty concentrating and being creative, and sleep issues which contribute to high healthcare costs, low productivity and high absenteeism.

Touch therapy such as seated-chair massage is beneficial for workers’ overall health and wellness; for managing stress, significantly reducing anxiety and depression, mood improvement, back health, physical injuries and discomfort to other areas of the body, and many other health and wellbeing issues prevalent within the workplace or because of the workplace. The keenness of employees to actively seek new tools and help to cope with and manage situations better in the workplace is evident by the research. Many employers are incorporating wellness practices into their work environment as they understand the benefits to not only their staff, however also to overall productivity and ultimately, to their profit-margin.

Would you like to have some seated-chair massage at your workplace to help take away your pain, discomfort and the blues? What are you waiting for? Enquire at your work to see if massage can be incorporated into any existing wellness programs or started up as part of a social club enterprise. Perhaps asking a massage therapist that already performs seated massage to come to your workplace on an introductory visit to share the joys and benefits of this therapy with staff could be the start of a wonderful relationship for all within the work environment.

Eleni Seitis from Oasis Health Centres is happy to come to your work and share the value of seated-chair massage with all staff. She has been visiting workspaces all over South-East Queensland for over 10 years sharing wellbeing and massage, and with some rave reviews. Call today on 0438 545 045 or email eleni@oasishealthcentres.com.au for more information.