In today’s fast-paced work environments, employee well-being has become a top priority for organizations aiming to create a positive and productive workplace culture. One increasingly popular method to promote workplace wellness is through massage therapy. In this blog post, we will explore how incorporating massage into the workplace can lead to happier, healthier, and more engaged employees.
- The Impact of Workplace Stress: Workplace stress is a pervasive issue that can negatively affect employees’ mental and physical well-being. High stress levels lead to decreased productivity, increased absenteeism, and a higher risk of burnout. By offering massage as a workplace wellness program, employers can provide employees with a valuable stress management tool.
- Benefits of Workplace Massage: a. Stress Reduction: Massage helps to alleviate stress by reducing cortisol levels and promoting the release of endorphins, the body’s natural feel-good hormones. Regular massage sessions can help employees manage stress more effectively and maintain a sense of calm and balance throughout the workday. b. Pain Relief: Many employees suffer from musculoskeletal issues and chronic pain due to prolonged sitting, repetitive tasks, or poor posture. Massage therapy can target these specific areas, relieving tension, improving circulation, and reducing pain. c. Improved Focus and Mental Clarity: Massage promotes relaxation and mental clarity, which can enhance cognitive function and concentration. Employees who receive regular massages are more likely to stay focused, make better decisions, and perform at their best. d. Enhanced Mood and Morale: Massage triggers the release of serotonin and dopamine, neurotransmitters associated with happiness and positive mood. By incorporating massage into the workplace, employers can create an atmosphere of well-being, boosting employee morale and job satisfaction.
- Different Approaches to Workplace Massage: a. On-Site Chair Massage: Chair massage is a convenient and efficient option for the workplace. It involves a brief, seated massage that focuses on the neck, shoulders, back, arms, and hands. On-site chair massage sessions typically last between 10 to 30 minutes and can be scheduled during breaks or as part of wellness events. b. Wellness Rooms: Creating dedicated wellness rooms within the workplace provides employees with a quiet, comfortable space where they can receive longer massage sessions or engage in relaxation exercises. These rooms can be equipped with massage tables, relaxing music, and essential oils to enhance the overall experience. c. Wellness Programs and Subsidies: Employers can partner with local massage therapists or wellness centers to offer discounted or subsidized massage sessions for employees. By providing financial incentives or flexible schedules to accommodate massage appointments, employers demonstrate their commitment to employee well-being.
- Implementing a Workplace Massage Program: a. Management Buy-In: To successfully introduce a workplace massage program, it’s crucial to obtain support from management and stakeholders. Highlight the potential benefits, present case studies, and emphasize the positive impact on employee satisfaction, retention, and productivity. b. Partnering with Professionals: Collaborate with licensed and experienced massage therapists or wellness providers who specialize in workplace programs. Ensure they understand the unique needs of office environments and are capable of delivering quality services. c. Communication and Promotion: Proper communication is key to the success of any workplace wellness initiative. Use various channels, such as emails, newsletters, posters, and intranet platforms, to inform employees about the availability and benefits of the massage program. Highlight success stories and encourage employee feedback to create a buzz and generate interest. d. Evaluation and Feedback: Continuously evaluate the effectiveness of the program through employee surveys, feedback sessions, and productivity metrics. Adjust the program as needed based on employee preferences and needs.
Massage therapy is a powerful tool for promoting workplace wellness and improving employee satisfaction and productivity. By addressing stress, reducing pain, enhancing focus, and boosting morale, workplace massage programs have the potential to transform the work environment into a healthier, happier, and more efficient space. Employers who invest in the well-being of their employees through massage initiatives demonstrate their commitment to fostering a positive work culture. By incorporating massage into the workplace, organizations can unlock the full potential of their workforce and reap the long-term benefits of a more engaged and productive team.
Massage and Scleroderma
Let’s talk about a difficult condition called scleroderma. Massage therapy might not be among the resources you’d think of in addressing the patient’s challenges with this condition, but you’d be surprised. For a wide variety of conditions, massage therapy becomes a versatile tool for healthcare professionals who add it to their repertoire.
When you study the body from a massage therapy perspective, you also gain insight and ideas for your work as a yoga instructor, fitness professional, or other roles where you’re concerned with your clients’ physical wellbeing. It’s both a whole-body and localized treatment. Here’s how it helps with scleroderma when carefully used.
Scleroderma and its Stages
Scleroderma is an autoimmune condition which, like many such conditions, affects women much more frequently than it does men. It causes hardening of the body’s tissues, either locally or throughout the body’s systems, producing a thick feeling to the skin and other stiffness and internal damage.
The progression of a client’s scleroderma is an important factor in considering massage treatment. As damage to the body continues, its surface hardens and loses vitality and eventually internal organs can be affected. Massage therapy may not be advisable or may be of limited use during later stages of the disease.
The Advantages of Skilled Massage Therapists
Multimodal treatment, mixing massage therapy with treatment by physicians, nurses, and other healthcare providers, can help a patient’s body to respond better to treatment in general. If you have one of these backgrounds, you can augment your clinical skills in a significant way by learning massage therapy. For example, it can help increase blood circulation and possibly delay the onset and worsening of symptoms.
Because there are many specialized massage techniques with varying effects on the body, a carefully designed massage program can be offered to clients to address medical concerns. Where deep tissue massage may help with some aspects of a condition, your skill and tactile sensitivity as a massage therapist can help you use a gentler approach, similar to that used for fibromyalgia.
Using the Unique Qualities of Massage to Help Scleroderma Patients
Medical guidance is essential when you are working with a client who is diagnosed with scleroderma. Depending on the type and extent of a client’s condition, deep tissue massage techniques may be somewhat useful, but attention to circulation and joint function, breath and relaxation may be more productive approaches.
You can provide gentle, repetitive touch to help capillary flow and relaxation, while breathwork and assisted joint movement can help the body stay resilient. Myofascial (muscle) techniques can conflict with the hardening of the body’s surfaces, and generally you should avoid this type of approach.
Patient Engagement Makes a Difference
Massage therapy training helps you understand the body from a client’s perspective. In addition to being a caring presence in each person’s life, you learn how to constructively use touch to assist bodies in healing from disease and maintaining health. The power of one human caring for another in a safe, structured setting allows one of the most basic human needs to be addressed — that of touch.
As an autoimmune disease, scleroderma is a complex condition and patients may feel at a loss in dealing with it. From nurses to fitness coaches, when people help us with our physical well being, it’s usually with a minimum of hands-on connection and mostly verbal. When you, as a massage therapist, address specific physical challenges which the client is experiencing, you also address the patient as a whole, helping her to develop an inner strength to deal with her life’s challenges.
To learn more about how massage therapy can be beneficial for Scleroderma contact our Seattle student massage clinic
Massage Therapy Job Outlook in Washington
Massage Therapy Job Outlook – A career in massage therapy gives you the power to relieve pain and promote health while earning a good income. Nationally, the field is expected to continue growing at an accelerate rate through the year 2024.
For massage therapy Seattle and its tech-heavy culture make a perfect match. If you are thinking about a career in massage therapy Seattle is one of the best places in the country.
Washington State Requirements
Massage therapists are regulated by the Washington State Department of Health, Board of Massage. To maintain an active license, therapists must meet the following requirements.
Applicants must complete an approved training program that includes:
- 130 hours anatomy and physiology
- 40 hours kinesiology instruction
- 50 hours pathology
- 265 hours theory and practice, including technique
- 55 hours clinical and business practices
- Red Cross first aid certification
- CPR certification
- 4 hours HIV/AIDS discussion
Those who received training out-of-state or who are licensed in another location may not meet Washington state education requirements. To verify previous experience, a verification form must be completed by the jurisdiction or school where your credentials were gained.
All applicants must successfully complete the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB) or Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB) examination.
After completing the training program and testing, therapists must submit all necessary paperwork to the Board of Massage, along with any applicable fees. Once your application information is verified, you will receive your Washington state massage therapy license.
Massage therapy licenses expire on the holder’s birthday every year. They can be renewed up to 90 days in advance.
Every two years, practitioners must complete 24 hours of continuing education credits. These must include:
- 8+ hours direct massage skills training
- 4+ hours professional ethics, communication, or review of state laws and regulations
- 2 hours review of professional roles and boundaries
Massage Therapy Seattle Area Employment Outlook
For those practicing massage therapy Seattle has a variety of job opportunities in different industries.
- Personal care services, such as in-home aid
- Working with other health practitioners as part of a team
- Amusement and recreation, such as spas and high-end hotels
- Hospitals and long-term rehabilitation care
Massage Therapy Job Outlook for Washington is great in general. For a successful career in massage therapy Seattle is a great place to set up a freelance operation. For mobile massage therapy Seattle is the perfect place to create your own career by making office visits.
- When it comes to pay for those practicing massage therapy Seattle is one of the best paying locations in the country. Seattle area therapists command an impressive hourly mean wage of $26.89, well above the national average of $19.17.
- Washington has the 4th highest demand for massage therapists in the country. The state also consistently posts high employment rates for those in the field.
- Massage therapy positions in Washington are expected to increase by 41.3% in the next 8 years. The demand for new massage talent will soon cause a shortage of qualified applicants. This could drive wages up in the future, making the area even more attractive for knowledgeable bodywork professionals.
When practicing massage therapy Seattle offers opportunity and variety. Enjoy a fulfilling and profitable career as a respected health professional. When it comes to massage therapy Seattle is the best place in the country to learn, practice, and live.
For questions relating to the Massage Therapy Job Outlook in Washington State contact our admission department today!
Tacoma Massage School Campus Update
Four weeks till the doors open and this massage school becomes a home for many aspiring massage therapist.
Construction is well underway at our newest Tacoma massage school location, an addition to the Northwest Academy family. As you can see below, the lobby demo is complete and new plumbing almost done. We are headed toward drywall repair and painting through the week, with a goal of flooring next week.
As you might notice, I included a picture of the traditional massage therapist work boot. This footwear is a staple to massage therapist construction workers around the world. 🙂
Well, I suppose I should get back to work as this new school build out won’t do itself. I will update you all again soon as I progress through the project.
Learn more information about our massage school campus locations!