The Far Reaching Benefits of Workplace Massage in New York City

New York is a fast growing, rapidly changing metropolis with a population of more than 8 million people. The city has long been an important center for shipping, finance, media and culture and the New York metropolitan area serves as the headquarters for many of the world's largest corporations. The job opportunities are as varied as the population and all hope to attract the best and brightest professionals. There is stiff competition among companies to lure well-qualified candidates and retain them once they are hired.

Once hired, many employees find themselves over stressed and fatigued do to the competitive and fast paced nature of New York's corporate culture. Increased levels of stress can have an adverse effect on job performance and health if left unaddressed. Excess stress has been shown to cause insomnia, chronic headaches, overeating, an inability to focus and can contribute to more serious problems such as high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke. Employers see an increase in absenteeism, lowered productivity and poor office morale, which translate into lost revenue.

A growing number of corporations are implementing employee wellness programs to keep their staff healthy and to reduce the frequency of sick days. Chair massage is an excellent addition to a corporate wellness program because of its convenience and lasting benefits. Therapeutic massage has been proven effective in calming anxiety, reducing stress and improving mental clarity. Physical benefits include relief from muscle aches, lowered blood pressure, improved circulation and improved immune system function.

Chair massage is ideal for a workplace setting because it requires only a small amount of space and is performed in short but thorough sessions. Sessions normally last between 5 and 15 minutes, which is within the span of a typical coffee break. Chair massage therapists do not use oils or lotions, which allows professionals to maintain their appearance and remain completely dressed. Positive results can be felt immediately and are long lasting. Work related injuries, resulting from poor ergonomics or repetitive stress and strain are escalating among office workers. Chair massage can alleviate pain caused by muscle strain and reduce tenderness and swelling of areas affected by repetitive stress injuries such as carpal tunnel syndrome. The improved circulation that seated massage provides helps to rid tissues of excess fluids and toxins, while facilitating the flow of important nutrients to the area. Harried professionals often consume high levels of refined sugar and caffeine, which contributes to a nutrient-poor diet. A poor diet coupled with increased stress can take a toll on the immune system's ability to ward off illness by hindering the production of white blood cells. A short office chair massage releases toxins and heightens the production and effectiveness of the body's natural germ fighters.

Morale and job satisfaction are also major concerns for employers. A low office morale can greatly reduce productivity by fostering feelings of apathy and an individuals inability to effect change. Workers within such environments report feeling burned out, unmotivated and overly anxious. The negative effects of stress are multiplied and can cause a marked increase in absenteeism and employee turnover. Companies that offer regular employee massage have found it to be a cost effective way to improve workplace morale, attract top performers and view it as an opportunity to show their commitment to their employees' physical and emotional health.