How to organise Onsite Massage in the workplace: FAQ

Onsite Massage is one of the main employee benefits and one of the most popular among employees. However, when it comes to organising, often business don’t know exactly where to start or what it is all about.

To start, Onsite Massage is the name for massage treatments that are performed in an office or workplace, mainly Chair Massage and Desk Massage. Chair massage is performed on a special ergonomic chair and it focuses on neck, shoulders, back and arms. Desk Massage is performed whilst employees are seated at their desk and it focuses on the same areas. The difference is that chair massage allows for more support, hence the use of deeper techniques, whereas desk massage is usually lighter and shorter, although it has the advantage of not requiring any meeting room and it suits fast pace working environments, where people cannot leave their desk.

Let’s have a look at the most common FAQ asked by businesses:

How to arrange an Office Massage

The first thing to do is to contact the massage provider, explaining what treatment is requested and how many people are expected to receive it. The massage provider will check availability and therapists can be booked to go to the workplace on the days preferred by the client.

How many treatments can be done in a day?

Slots for chair massage are typycally 15 or 20 minute long, so a massage therapist can treat 3-4 people in an hour and 18-24 in a day. A desk massage is normally 10 minute long, so a therapist can treat up to 36 people in a day.

How is a day structured?

A therapist can start at the clien’t preferred time and normally work witihin office hours, to suit a company’s needs. Therapist will need breaks during that time, depending on the number of hours booked, which are free for the client.

What happens in an Office Massage?

The massage therapist will arrive 20 minutes before the starting time to setup and get acquainted with the office premises and day structure. A point of contact will greet them, explaining where to work and providing a list of bookings.

The therapists will wait for individuals to arrive. Employees will know at what time their slot is and they will arrive at the time of their appointment. The therapist will ask each individual to read and sign a consultation form, so that the therapist can understand the areas to focus on and whether there are contraindications to a person receiving a massage.

The therapist will perform a massage routine, focusing on areas of tension, whilst having some music in the background. At the end of the treatment, the effect will be to ease physical tension in the client and leave them mentally relaxed and energised.

What equipment do therapists bring?

For chair massage a therapist will bring a special ergonomic chair, which allows a client to sit reclined and fully supported. For Desk Massage this is not needed. They will also bring consultation forms and cleaning products to make sure the chair is sanitised after each treatment.

What do I need to provide?How much space do I need? 

For chair massage a client will need to provide a meeting room or a small open space of 2×3 m, where treatments can be conducted without noise and with some privacy. They will also need to appoint a point of contact to liaise with the therapist during the day and a list of bookings.

Are therapists qualified and insured?

All therapists by law are fully qualified and insured, so employees have a quality and safe treatment. But that is not all. Therapists are members of professional bodies, qualified in multiple therapies and most of the time with many years of experience in their field.

Are there contraindications to massage?

Yes, massage is generally highly beneficial, but there are conditions for which massage is not recommended, depending on the client’s condition. All therapists are trained on recognising such contraindications as part of their qualification. After discussing a medical consultation form with each client, therapists might assess the situation and decide that it is not in the interest of clients and theirs to proceed. This is a positive thing as it will avoid worsening a client’s existing condition.

What areas are covered?

Some massage providers are local, at Joyful Living we cover all of the UK, including main cities and other areas. Contact us to know more about our Onsite Massage services.