Wellness is the word in many corporate circles. Companies realize that providing wellness programs not only boosts employee morale, they can boost the bottom line. Here are some stats about company wellness programs from career site Zippia:[1]
- 72% of employers saw a reduction in healthcare costs after implementing a wellness program
- The average return on investment (ROI) in employee wellness programs is six-to-one
- Wellness programs can reduce absenteeism by 14-10%
- 87% of employees consider health and wellness offerings when choosing an employer
Wellness programs projected to grow
With these results, it is no wonder that 52% of U.S. companies currently offer wellness programs, and growth is on the horizon.[2] According to Market.us, the global corporate wellness market is projected to expand from USD 56.63 billion in 2022 to approximately USD 100.8 billion by 2032. This growth represents a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.1% over the forecast period from 2022 to 2032.[3]
Ensuring employee well-being takes on an even greater priority with the implementation of back-to-the office priorities in the post-pandemic workplace. For some employees returning to physical office spaces after working from home or enjoying a hybrid work experience is stressful. One study cites an increase in work-family conflicts, emotional exhaustion, and a tendency for presenteeism (working while sick) are emerging as key factors in return-to-office stress.[4] A recent study by Headspace finds over 4 out of 5 people say their stress primarily comes out of work.[5]
Chair massage an employee wellness favorite
The growth of corporate wellness programs creates an opportunity for chair massage on site. Even before the pandemic, chair massage was a highly popular company wellness benefit to alleviate stress and anxiety and reduce pain. Chair massage has proven effective in boosting concentration and productivity, regardless of an employee’s work location. It is a powerful tool to reduce muscle tension and restore balance throughout the body after spending hours sitting in front of a computer screen or hunched over a desk.
Get in the door
When you are considering companies in your area to target, keep in mind that smaller companies will be easier to reach. Your initial contact may be the office manager who can secure your services or can provide entrée to the manager or owner. Also, small companies have closer contact with their employees so they can see how massage is beneficial.
Large companies can be a greater source of income but it will take longer for you to work your way through the bureaucracy. Your contacts at a large company will vary. The HR department can be a good start since it has various individuals who could be good candidates, such as the manager of compensation and benefits, director of occupational health or a health and safety manager. You also might want to contact a sales manager to offer your services as a reward to the sales team for reaching a certain sales goal. If you think customer service reps are a good target because of the daily stress they are under, get in touch with the manager or director of customer service.
Promote massage internally
While many employees may be eager for your services; others may be reluctant especially if they are new to massage or if they must pay part of the cost. Once you have your foot in the door, work with your contacts to introduce and promote your services. Some things you want to do include:
Create a handout:Develop a one-page flier for the company to hand out to employees to explain your services and answer anticipated questions. For example, employees may not understand that you will not be using lubricants and so they will not need to remove clothing for on-site chair massage.
Send out an email: Ask your company contact to send out an email about your negotiated services. Include links to your website and any social media channels where you promote your business so that employees can learn more about you.
Offer information for employee newsletters: Ask the HR department if you can provide information on massage for publication in the employee newsletter. Include research reports about the benefits of massage for relaxation, reducing stress and alleviating pain. You also may want to submit a piece on sports massage therapy.
Provide online booking: To make it convenient for employees to sign up, offer online booking.
Be flexible: Keep in mind that even when employees book something may come up to prevent them from coming to the session. You will need to be flexible, since work will always come first.
Working with companies to boost their wellness programs through chair massage will take some work, but the potential for new clients, referrals and name recognition within your community are well worth the effort.
[1] McCain, Abby, “22 Telling Employee Wellness Statistics [2023]” How Many Companies Have Wellness Programs,” Zippia, November 14, 2022. https://www.zippia.com/advice/employee-wellness-statistics/
[2] Ibid
[3] Press Release, “Corporate Wellness Market Projected to Reach 100.8 Billion USD BY 2033, With CAGR of 6.1%, Market.us, April 24, 2024, https://www.pharmiweb.com/press-release/2024-04-24/corporate-wellness-market-projected-to-reach-usd-1008-billion-by-2033-with-cagr-of-61
[4] Pandita, D., Gupta, D. & Vapiwala, F. Rewinding Back into the Old Normal: Why is Return-to-Office Stressing Employees Out?. Employ Respons Rights J (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10672-023-09491-0
[5] Kohler, Lindsay, :Over 4 out of 5 People Say Their Stress Primarily Comes from Work,” Forbes, April 23, 2024. https://www.forbes.com/sites/lindsaykohler/2024/04/23/over-4-out-of-5-people-say-their-stress-primarily-comes-from-work/?sh=1f60dd422d3b