Benefits of Corporate Massage Programs for Employees and Employers

Company wellness programs are on the rise for businesses across the nation. In 2018 the National Business Group on Health (NBGH) and Fidelity Investments conducted their Ninth Annual Employer-Sponsored Health and Well-Being Survey. The survey results found that businesses are heavily investing in their employee’s health solution and wellbeing or are planning to. 

92% of employers consider wellbeing to be part of their overall business strategy, which is up from 86% the year before. Also, at least ¼ of employers tie well-being to at least one key business metric. Occurrences of employee incentives in corporate wellness programs increased from 74% to 86%. 83% of employers plan to continue or expand well-being incentives over the next 3-5 years. This survey included 163 companies across healthcare, manufacturing, technology, and telecommunications. 

What is Corporate Massage?

While there are many forms of corporate massage including on-site therapy or subsidized programs through a massage business, on-site therapists are the most common and provide a lot of benefits to employers and employees.

First of all, what employee wouldn’t want to get a massage of some kind while they’re at work? Having on-site massage therapists creates a tangible incentive system and bypasses the employee trying to fit a massage into their schedule outside of work. Outside of cost, time is the main reason why people don’t get massages. 

With an onsite corporate massage program, an organization contracts with a massage business or individual massage therapists to come to the office and give employee massages. These sessions could be as often as once a week, once a month, or every six weeks—it is customizable by the business. 

Can a Business Write off Massage Therapy for Their Employees?

The short answer is probably. Most wellness programs are tax-deductible; some might even lower health insurance premiums. According to AZCentral.com, “Workplace wellness programs are almost always going to be tax-deductible expenses for businesses. While you might not see a line for "wellness programs" on a Schedule C or an 1120 corporate income tax return, they fit into existing categories of allowed write-offs. The IRS has a long history of allowing employers to write off the perks that it provides to employees, covering many wellness programs. In addition, employers have been offering tax-free health insurance coverage to employees since the 1940s.”.

Discussing your tax options with qualified accountants is a good first step, although any wellness program is more than likely to reduce costs in other areas of the business, not just in the tax department. 

Employer and Employee Benefits of Corporate Massage

There are multiple benefits to employers who offer a corporate-sponsored employee massage therapy program. One of these is increased productivity. According to Oxford University, happy employees are 13% more productive. And what’s going to make employees happier than getting a massage at work? That level of increase in productivity translates into money earned. Then there are hiring and retention benefits. Perks are a huge part of why people choose employers and choose to stay with them, according to Forbes. A corporate massage program is a feather in the cap of any employer and will make them more attractive to the quality talent they are trying to hire. In addition to attracting and retaining talent, massage therapy will lower stress, which reduces instances of illness and sick leave. Massage therapy can also help address the rise of Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSD) like back pain and carpal tunnel syndrome. MSD’s cost $297 billion in lost productivity, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Massage therapy can help prevent and treat these issues making for happier employees who are in less pain. 

Get Started with BioFunctional Health

BioFunctional Health has been helping athletes and Fortune 500 companies lower healthcare costs, increase employee satisfaction, and reduce workplace-related injuries since 2007 through their functionally optimized massage program. Now, your business or organization can participate in this evidence-based and technology-enabled hands-on treatment system that’s trusted by professional athletes and some of the most successful businesses in the nation. Their corporate massage program was developed by industry-leading experts and is proven to be the most efficacious mobility health treatment model. They customize their non-invasive treatments to resolve your employees’ source of pain. Take advantage of all that corporate massage has to offer with BioFunctional Health’s functionally optimized massage therapy program. If you’re ready to lower your healthcare costs, attract quality workers, and retain the ones you have, reach out to BioFunctional Health today!