Whilst searching for the topic of my next blog, I came across this one which has been written by Steve Procopiou, owner of Brightside Therapies, located in Bicester, Oxfordshire. Steve has kindly given me his permission to publish it.

I cant strip off in the office!

I was talking to somebody at a networking event the other day and happened to mention that I do massage in offices. Their first reaction was along the lines of “how do you get people to take their clothes off in the office?” So in case you’ve ever wondered the same thing, here is an exposé of workplace seated massage!Now, if you thought the opening paragraph was setting the scene for some kind of 50 shades scenario, I’m going to have to disappoint you! The reality is that you don’t have to take your clothes off or lie down to get a massage in the workplace. So if I’ve got you here under false pretences, feel free to hit the “back” button now.

So how does it work?

Workplace seated massage takes place through the clothes seated in a chair. Not just any old chair, this one is specially designed for the job. As well as the seat itself, there’s a support for your face, another for your arms and pads for your knees. Unlike a conventional chair, you sit facing the chair and leaning forward. This means that the therapist can get at your back, shoulders, head and arms, while you remain fully supported. In fact, it can be so comfortable that I’ve had clients fall asleep on a couple of occasions.

Where can I do the massage ?

The massage chair can be set up just about anywhere in the workplace. A conference room or spare office are perfect, but if need be the massage chair can be set up in a cubicle, canteen, reception area or anywhere that gives enough space to walk all the way round it.
Because the massage is given through your clothes, there are no oils involved and the massage is based on acupressure techniques. This means that the therapist uses his elbows, fists and forearms as well as his hands to press, strike and squeeze the muscles, rather than the flowing strokes you normally associate with massage. This might sound a bit harsh, but, believe me, it isn’t; after the massage, you float back to your desk feeling refreshed, relaxed and energised.
A typical workplace massage takes 15 to 30 minutes, depending on what’s been agreed with the employer. As with any other kind of massage treatment, the therapist will start with a short consultation to identify any conditions that might limit the scope of the massage and understand what the client wants to get out of it. The treatment can cover some or all of upper back, lower back, shoulders, neck, head, arms and hands. Every therapist will have their own style, but I usually end with some stimulating strokes and a bit of stretching.

So what are the benefits of workplace seated massage?

In common with other massage treatments, the massage gets endorphins romping round the body and reduces levels of the stress hormone cortisol, making you feel good. The increased blood flow gives you more energy when you get back to the desk and the massage can relieve some of the muscular pain that accompanies office life these days. Head massage is also great for relieving headaches, migraines and insomnia.
From the employer’s perspective, workplace massage has been shown to increase staff morale and engagement and reduce absenteeism and workplace accidents. There can also be an increase in productivity as employees are energised and work faster and more accurately. These benefits can translate directly into financial savings for the employer, not just from the increased productivity but also the reduction in management time spent dealing with stressed employees and decreased spend on agency staff to cover long-term absences.
So no striptease acts, but plenty of other benefits from what I like to call “a quick shot of relaxation in the middle of the day”!

Full details of a workplace massage as well as other available treatments can be found at www.brightsidetherapies.com