The Rise of Virtual Wellness Programs

Social distancing shifted working from the office to our personal homes and, as a result, created the need for companies to develop new resources. There was an initial shock that left many employees struggling to juggle the responsibilities of the office and personal life in one location. It turns out that so many of us were not set-up with home offices, so we quickly turned that kitchen table to a desk or the spare bedroom into an office.

Goodbye ergonomic chair, hello couch.

Team leaders are now in the process of reshaping wellness programs for professionals working from home and those who are beginning to reintegrate back into the office. In our pre-COVID world, many offices offered in-person fitness and mindfulness benefits onsite. However, the downside to these programs was that many team members were unable to access the benefits because they already worked remotely or at a satellite location. As we reconstruct tomorrow’s corporate wellness landscape, it’s vital to build programs that are accessible to all members of the team, regardless of their locations.

Just as employees needed to reimagine workspaces to make the most of a remote position, companies must transform their stress management programs.

As a result, Virtual Wellness Programs (VWPs) have surfaced as an essential resource for employees currently working from home. With VWPs, teams log on and recharge for half an hour with trained professionals. Companies are just starting to capture the emerging benefits of virtual workplace wellness programs. However, it is apparent this is the next wave of employer support of stress reduction.

Not convinced?

Here are our Top 6 reasons Virtual Wellness Programs are an asset for your team

1. Holistic Approach to Wellness

Wellness is not one size fits all and even varies day-by-day. Sometimes releasing stress means rising to the challenge in Boot Camp, other times it means letting go of muscle tension with a slow stretch. With virtual wellness accessible anytime, anywhere, taking a break to calm your mind with meditations or get fired up in a boxing class is as easy as clicking on a meeting link.

2. Focused on You

Some of the best virtual wellness programs are offering personalized care. That means you meet one-on-one with knowledgeable professionals in a convenient setting for both the teacher and student. All it takes is a quick note to share your aches and pains, and you’re ready to work through new techniques in real-time.

3. Respect for Social Distancing

For the time being, we all must continue to keep our social distance. A packed exercise class that has us breathing heavy and dripping sweat is far from ideal. Luckily, there is no need to take unnecessary risks because there’s the option to log in to a class from the safety of our own home. With virtual wellness, you can focus all your energy into your workout and never feel the need to skip that immunity-boosting session.

4. The Gift of Time

Eliminating travel to and from a wellness class creates more time to focus on other parts of the day. After all, logging on to a guided meditation geared for a midday recharge should be seamless. A quick click on a virtual meeting link means that the journey to inner peace just got a little faster, and there is more time to knock out that to-do list.

5. Integrate Health into Your Personal Space

Wellness does not live in a vacuum and neither should your routine. With VWPs, you learn to utilize your space to maximize wellness in your home. Over time, you learn to integrate small changes that transition to familiar, healthy habits.

6. Say Goodbye to Performance Anxiety

Trying something new can be scary. Trying something new next to your experienced peers is even more intimidating. With VWPs, you don’t have to worry about what others think. Most virtual classes offer the option to participate without displaying video content, so you don’t have to debut your Zumba moves in front of your coworkers until you are ready.

Are you interested in bringing a Virtual Wellness Program to your team?

May 5, 2020June 7, 2021

Let’s Talk Safety!

Coming back to the office will happen, but it won’t be as easy as flipping a switch. It will likely be a gradual process, and extra safety and security protocols will be mandated to decrease the chances of COVID-19 recurring. Our goal, at Body Techniques, is to provide the safest experience possible for you and your team as you return to work. Many of our wellness services, such as yoga and meditation, do not require physical contact. Although onsite massage requires physical contact, luckily, it is naturally isolated “one to one”, which lowers the chance of exposure. In addition, we have also implemented the following nine onsite massage safety measures to reduce risk for our clients and practitioners:

Following the CDC’s Sanitation Guidelines
Using the highest quality approved disinfectants
Implementing pre and post shift sanitation protocols
Thoroughly training providers on new safety guidelines
Strictly enforcing sick policy for both provider and client
Limiting face-up time during massage sessions. All sessions will be performed with clients face down to limit face to face exposure time with practitioners
Offering exclusively over the clothes massage with disposable face cradle cover, on vinyl chair or table
Extending time between sessions to provide adequate time for disinfection of all surfaces: table, chair, desk, door knobs, light switch, phone, desk, computer, and all surfaces client and provider may touch
Daily communication regarding any changes to guidelines and protocols

We remain vigilant in staying informed on the latest research and recommended safety measures from trusted sources and authorities, and will promptly update both clients and practitioners of changes to guidelines as they emerge.

We Will Guide You

Wellness programs are not one size fits all, and your organization will likely have its own layered “return to work” journey. We will use our two decades of experience creating wellness programs to guide you and your company in reducing the negative impact of social isolation on your employees. We will help you build your “return to work” plan by:

Assisting you in developing a customized virtual and onsite wellness program that will foster connectivity and community in the workplace
Collaborating with you to implement your company’s newest safety standards alongside our own to enhance safety
Ensuring your safety protocols are followed by our providers with the utmost integrity
Conducting surveys from your team to discover how to improve and scale your program
Remaining flexible and ready to administer change when you are ready

Give your employees continuity of wellness by providing a virtual program now, which can then transition into an onsite program alongside your team’s return to the office. With 24-years of experience behind us, we are ready to pivot to take on the future of workplace wellness in this new post-Covid landscape. It is never too early to begin planning – take action now.

Let's Start To Plan

April 30, 2020December 16, 2021

Workplace Wellness – The Importance Of Planning Now

Workplace Wellness Planning For Employees

COVID-19 has greatly disrupted the everyday lives and routines of businesses and employees and this disruption has an impact on employee health and wellbeing. Stress, anxiety, and isolation are just a few examples of what your employees may be experiencing now and as they prepare to return to work. The long term effects of Covid-19 will not be understood for quite some time, yet it is evident and crucial that the need for wellness while “sheltering in place” as well as upon return to the workplace is paramount, and companies must adapt both in the short and long term.

Building a sense of community and connection as your employees transition back to work will be vitally important for the team. Many people will be stressed and anxious from having worked in isolation as well as dealing with the ever changing environment surrounding COVID-19. Now is the time to plan ahead; use this time “sheltering in place” to create the best possible wellness program for your employees as you prepare for their return to work.

What can you do Now?

Create a virtual wellness program for your team. Currently employees are reporting feelings of isolation and disconnection due to social distancing and “shelter in place” guidelines. Creating a virtual wellness program as a stop gap measure until employees can return to work will provide a sense of community, connectivity and continuity while reducing the negative impact of social isolation. Your virtual wellness program can include services such as:

Invest in community through Yoga: Our livestream yoga classes are a great way for employees to stay connected while keeping active. The practice of group yoga creates a sense of community where your team can connect in a meaningful way.
Keep bodies moving through fitness classes: Utilizing our virtual fitness classes will help your employees move and get a sweat on with just body weight movements. Many of us are not exercising the way we normally do, our classes can help motivate and inspire your team to keep moving and stay healthy.
Make mental health a priority through meditation: Through our Dial-In meditation service, employees can step away for 15 – minutes to practice mindfulness, and relaxation and return to work with a more focused state of mind. Meditation is known to reduce stress and anxiety which is prevalent as a result of COVID-19 circulating within our communities and workplaces.

Planning For The Future

Now that you have a virtual wellness plan to support your employees while “sheltering in place”, it’s never too early to begin planning for your company’s return to work. Employees will be looking to you for continuity in your support of their health and wellness. Developing the right wellness program for your office will take time. Between service selection, contract review, and finalizing operations it can take one to two months from the start of a conversation to the launching of a program.

With 24-years of experience behind us, we are ready to take on the future of workplace wellness in this new post-Covid landscape. Our expertise and commitment to the services we provide is what drives us to deliver wellness to employees across the nation. We are a resilient company and we’re ready to support your team’s wellness initiatives in the future. Take action now and schedule a consultation today.

March 5, 2020December 16, 2021

The Hard-Knocks Restaurant World Discovers Wellness

It doesn’t matter what industry you fall into, health and wellness is being recognized as a top priority for employees, and management is beginning to address it. Workplace Stress Management has been Body Techniques’ “special recipe” for over 20 years, and we applaud the food industry for dipping into Wellness.

“Many employees are getting yoga, counseling and other benefits, as the industry tries to change an often unhealthy culture.”

– well.blogs.nytimes.com

January 21, 2020December 16, 2021

Promoting Workplace Fitness

How To Promote Fitness In The Workplace

How is your company keeping employees fit? Finding time to exercise can be difficult. One of the ways you can help employees find more time for exercise is by allowing employees to exercise “on the clock” for at least 30 minutes each day.

The main benefits of establishing a culture of fitness in your company? Lower healthcare costs, less absenteeism, less employee stress, better work performance and better teamwork. What’s not to love? Social support is a big component, because when colleagues take part in a fitness program and get to interact with each other in a setting apart from the stress of work, they have conversations they may not have had otherwise in the work environment. They boost each others efforts and help hold each other accountable.

When time is of the essence, the easiest strategy is to break down daily exercise into short, frequent stints throughout the day. Even 10 minutes, 2 to 3 times a day, can be enough to achieve the significant health benefits from physical activity.

Some very simple, low-maintenance workplace fitness tips:

Encourage walking meetings
Position printers farther from desks
Promote taking the stairs and parking farther away
Set up a company sports team
Encourage employees to take part in a charity fitness challenge
Utilize lunch and work breaks for walks or onsite exercise

Workplace Fitness Programs Lead the Pack as a Popular Employee Perk

Research suggests that exercising during working hours can also pump up work performance. A Leeds Metropolitan University study found that workers who engaged in onsite fitness classes or gym during working hours were more productive, managed their time better, and felt more work satisfaction.

While not every organization can afford to build in-house gyms for their employees, onsite fitness programs are springing up all over the country focusing on corporate fitness. Companies can now employ personal trainers who are experienced in running fitness classes for large or small groups of staff – whether that’s an intensive cardio workout, Zumba dance class, or onsite yoga session. Some companies also offer meditation classes and a gentle introduction to exercise such as an “I don’t really want to sweat” class.

One way to get your company started on the road to fitness is by contacting Body Techniques, a national leader of on-site chair massage therapy, yoga, and a full range of onsite fitness programs that provides employees with onsite access to fitness professionals and a diverse library of workouts for all ages and abilities, including boot camps, Zumba, U-Jam Fitness, Yoga and Pilates. Separate groups from different parts of your organization can work out together, and they can even stage a friendly competition against each other for points and prizes.

Body Techniques has found that programs work best when companies:

Subsidize the full cost of the program. We find these companies view fitness classes as an employee benefit, and as the classes are free to employees, participation is greatly increased.
Have adequate on-site space for the classes. We will conduct classes of any size, provided the company has a fitness-minded culture. Gym equipment is also helpful, but not required.

Forward-thinking companies are demonstrating what science has proven several times: exercising at work, even without sweat, has huge benefits for productivity and employees’ health and is simple to implement. The benefits you will receive from your employees’ improved health and work performance will more than outweigh the cost of providing onsite corporate fitness programs.

Want to learn more about fitness programs?

Click the button below to visit our fitness programs page.

January 3, 2020January 7, 2020

Body Techniques Owner & CEO Austin Lund Profiled by Saint Mary’s College

Recently, Body Techniques Founder and CEO Austin Lund was profiled by Saint Mary’s College of California to highlight his nontradiational path to earning his EMBA with honors. As part of this campaign, Saint Mary’s interviewed Austin and featured him in a promotional video as well as on regional billboards, signage, and on their website. Read his interview here and watch the video below:

Want to learn more about on-site massage?

Click the button below to visit our massage page.

November 26, 2019November 30, 2021

Strategies for Managing Stress in the Workplace

Stress is an unavoidable consequence of every employee’s life on the job. Whatever your corporate environment, there are steps managers can take to protect employees from the damaging effects of stress, improve job satisfaction, and bolster well-being in and out of the workplace.

While occasional stress, or the pressure to perform, is what keeps us on our toes during presentations, provides the energy to pull off an all-nighter, and sparks quick reactions when needed to prevent accidents or costly mistakes — long-term exposure to constant stress at work, not only causes a faster heart rate and tense muscles in the moment, it brings on chronic anxiety, exhaustion, and eventually burnout. In fact, the negative consequences from long-term stress are so strong that it has been declared a World Wide Epidemic by the World Health Organization.

An article from The American Institute of Stress states that 80% of workers feel stress on the job and nearly half say they need help in learning how to manage stress. A 2016 Health IT Stress Report found that 55% of tech professionals are frequently or constantly stressed – with 38% rating their stress intensity as high or extremely high. These statistics are important, especially for companies in fast-paced industries with highly competitive marketplaces for talent, because stress plays a critical role in retention and recruitment.

What top managers are doing to reduce workplace stress:

Recent research shows that being appreciated is one of the most important factors that increase motivation and satisfaction as well as health and well-being. According to the World Health Organization, employees are less likely to experience work-related stress when demands and pressures of work are matched to their knowledge and abilities – control can be exercised over their work and the way they do it – support is received from supervisors and colleagues– and participation in decisions that concern their jobs is provided.

The Society for Human Resource Management offers other ways forward-thinking managers can help employees handle stress:

Encourage your team to take advantage of stress-management webinars, wellness tips or programs, and yoga or meditation classes. Set an example by using these resources yourself.
Make sure workers are taking regular breaks and be sure to take them yourself.
Encourage employees to exercise daily, take time for friends or a significant other after work, pursue hobbies, listen to music and take time off.

The mind-body connection is key for shrinking employee stress levels.

Innovative managers are championing on-site fitness classes, chair massage, and yoga and meditation as the key to employee satisfaction. Body Techniques specializes in designing programs to lower workplace stress, emphasize mindfulness, and improve employee gratification and engagement; we know first-hand that employees who feel their employers care about their health and well-being tend to be happier and when employees have a positive attitude about their job, it translates into less time missed from work and improved loyalty to their company.

In the years we’ve been working with corporations nationwide, we’ve helped many successfully implement mind-body stress management programs. Here’s what we know works:

Exercise is one of your best weapons against workplace stress. On-site fitness classes take employees’ minds off their work challenges and improve moods by increasing the production of endorphins, the brain’s feel-good neurotransmitters. For employers, fitness classes can bring additional benefits, including lower insurance premiums. These can often be obtained through a verified fitness program – a reward for creating a healthier workforce.
On-site chair massage not only relaxes muscles and improves circulation, but it also boosts employees’ energy and their mental outlook. Documented links between stress reduction and massage therapy have opened many managers’ eyes to the value of investing in massage for employees.
Workplace yoga programs offer movement and meditation to help employees experience a deep state of body-centered restful awareness both on and off the mat. Employees leave refreshed, relaxed, and resilient. Leading companies such as Apple, Google, and Forbes have introduced yoga and reaped benefits like improved productivity and increased employee motivation.

At Body Techniques, we’ve found that companies that offer chair massage, fitness classes, yoga, or meditation sessions as employee benefits, and who provide these stress reduction programs free or at a low, subsidized rate to their employees have a much higher rate of participation.

There isn’t a manager alive today who doesn’t agree that modern workers feel stressed out and the stress is taking a toll on their sleep, health, relationships, productivity, and sense of well-being. The good news is that these innovative stress management options are actually simple, cost-effective strategies that support productivity and provide managers and employees with more sense of control and a welcomed break from the demands of the job.

Want to learn more about our stress management programs?

Click the button below to visit our massage page.

November 4, 2019December 16, 2021

Onsite Massage Program Benefits

Do you care about improving employees’ morale? Are you interested in decreasing absenteeism? How do you help your team get through high-stress projects on time? An onsite massage program is a highly effective way to reward and retain talent, and it’s proving to be an investment that translates into a net benefit for companies.

Onsite Massage Benefits For Employees & Employers

An onsite massage program is not only easy to implement (no need to change clothes), it provides numerous proven employee benefits–including stress relief, better sleep, reduced muscle tension, and decreased migraines. These programs also benefits employers, as they are particularly effective in addressing “burn out” and depression, which have become top factors in lower productivity rates and employee absenteeism.

Offering onsite massage to employees is more than just a perk or a nice-to-have. Implementing a corporate massage program is a powerful way for leadership to show they understand that their people are truly their best asset. At Body Techniques, we’ve seen onsite massage become an essential aspect of many of our national clients’ corporate stress management programs that help employees perform at the top of their game.

7 Ways to Boost the Benefits of Your Onsite Massage Program

It’s important to implement a number of engagement strategies to assure a robust corporate massage program with a high level of employee engagement. And if you don’t yet have a massage program, check out the tips below to help you find a corporate massage benefits package that best suits the needs of your organization.

Subsidize at least 50% of the program cost. “

When companies position massage as an employee benefit, the lowered cost to employees impacts participation greatly. If the cost of a 15-minute massage is $10 or less to an employee, your program will be a success. When there is a subsidy in place, we see a jump in utilization from 50-60% up to 85-95%.

Offer regular chair massage breaks to boost morale and productivity.

Employees rate chair massage as one of the top indicators of a supportive environment. Stress relief is evident immediately and promotes a renewed focus on the projects at hand.

Promote your massage program during intense workload periods.

According to the Mayo Clinic, onsite massage is proven to be an effective treatment for reducing stress, pain, and muscle tension; what a great way to help employees decompress when they’re under important deadline pressure!

Gift chair massage as a thank you.

A certificate for free onsite massage sessions is a unique and cost-effective way to thank those who contribute to your organization’s success.

Attract attention with chair massage as a promotional tool.

In a highly competitive market, use chair massage as a premium or incentive. It can be a motivational tool to encourage customers to engage with your organization at trade shows or special events.

Feature chair massage at your meetings and conventions.

Management meetings, training programs, and other corporate events can be exhausting. Providing a quiet area for chair massage can support a productive environment for participants.

Provide chair massage as the centerpiece of a special event.

In conjunction with an ongoing massage program or as a “one-time” program, offering chair massage at fundraising events, holiday parties, customer-appreciation days, a company health fair or wellness week is a creative way to make participants feel special.

What’s included in an onsite massage program?

Your massage program partner will ensure that everything runs smoothly. At Body Techniques, for example, we provide unlimited phone and email support from a designated team member throughout your program – and prior to, during and following your event. We staff nationally with our trained and vetted practitioners, employ measurable data systems that validate program effectiveness and support scalability, and we include post-massage surveys to gather feedback and gauge the success of our client programs and events.

Generally, an onsite chair massage program includes:

Administrative support & management
Online scheduling
Ergonomic massage chairs
Equipment set-up & break down
Hands-on massage from a qualified, insured massage practitioner
Music & sanitizing supplies (single-use face cradle covers, chair wipes and/or spray)

Want to learn more about on-site massage?

Click the button below to visit our on-site & corporate massage services page.

September 17, 2019October 14, 2021

Top 3 Employer Benefits from Corporate Fitness Programs

Corporate fitness programs are an important part of any stress management program because these unique, customized experiences allow employees to relieve stress and refocus their energy. Corporate fitness programs also provide employers with these top three benefits: lower healthcare costs, reduced absenteeism, and improved retention and turnover rates.

Employer Benefit #1: Lower Healthcare Costs

According to a recent CNBC article, national insurance premiums have been increasing an average of 7% each year. An effective corporate fitness program can save on costs associated with these premiums for both employees and employers. When employees enroll in a company-sponsored fitness program, they become healthier through participation and end up spending less on healthcare-related expenses (hospital visits, prescription drugs, etc.). According to Bankrate, “an inactive person spends $1,500 extra on health costs per year.” As for employer savings, Los Alamos National Laboratory, for example, saved $21 million in three years after implementing a robust wellness program. They then passed the savings on to their employees with a “premium holiday” in which no premium payments were taken out of their paychecks for two pay periods!

Employer Benefit #2: Reduced Absenteeism

The Wellness Council of America has found that more than 100 million workdays are lost each year due to lower back pain. Companies offering fitness programs can reduce instances of lower back pain and other injuries, resulting in healthier employees who will miss fewer days of work. Johnson and Johnson, for example, watched its absenteeism rate fall by 15% within two years of implementing a fitness program. Dupont Corporation was also able to reduce the number of disability days among its workforce by 14 days per year after implementing a fitness program.

Employer Benefit #3: Improved Retention and Turnover

Tenneco, a Fortune 500 company, found that employees who enrolled in a company-sponsored corporate fitness program were 13% less likely to leave the company. Additionally, Afflink notes that effective wellness programs that incorporate elements like fitness programs reduce turnover by demonstrating support from top leadership and increasing engagement among colleagues.

As companies continue to compete for top talent, employee benefits play a large part in attracting and keeping employees. In competitive industries especially, companies need to differentiate themselves with customized benefits packages. If your organization is looking for a customized experience for your employees and has a designated room with adequate space, Body Techniques can create a fitness program from a wide range of class styles, including Bootcamp, Zumba, and Pilates.

Want to learn more about our Fitness Programs?

Click the button below to visit our fitness page.

July 30, 2019October 22, 2024

Top 5 Chair Massage Benefits

Top 5 Chair Massage Benefits

Studies have found that receiving a 15-minute chair massage once a week can reduce cortisol levels (a stress hormone) and boost the immune system. Employers that offer massage as a part of their company stress management program find that their employees develop a greater sense of wellbeing, experience fewer missed workdays, and have improved overall job satisfaction.

What is a chair massage?

Often called corporate massage, a chair massage is a shoulder, neck, and upper back massage that takes place in a massage chair and is the most convenient method of delivering onsite massage. It can be done “on the spot” without the need to change clothes and helps to reduce tension, promote better circulation, muscle stimulation, and stress relief. Your massage therapist will ask you how a certain pressure feels and your response will help them find the best way to relieve pain, relax and rejuvenate you.

What are the benefits of chair massage?

According to the Mayo Clinic, massage therapy is proven to be an effective treatment for:

Depression
Stress
Pain
Muscle Tension
Migraines

Massage also leads to increased circulation, which has a positive impact on the brain and entire body. From stress management to decreased muscle tension and fewer migraines, chair massage helps to improve general feelings of contentment and health. Massage therapy has also been shown to be effective at treating depression which is the single biggest factor in low productivity rates.

Sometimes, you need to disengage in order to re-engage.

Chair massage is for anyone who does the following:

Sits at a Desk Full-Time
Spends Extended Time Driving
Engages in Excessive Lifting
Spends Long Periods of Time Standing

Anyone who hunches over a screen most of the day can face chronic neck and back pain, not to mention arm and wrist issues (carpal tunnel syndrome) from repetitive strain. Additionally, a study by the New York Spine Surgery & Rehabilitative Medicine on the issue of poor posture found that our constant downward-looking gaze at cell phones or smart devices puts a lot of strain on neck muscles; any compression, irritation, misalignment, or tension in this area can cause pain.

Regularly taking a break for a chair massage at the beginning, middle, or end of an intense workday not only helps relieve posture-induced stress, but it can also help reduce anxiety. A study conducted by Shulman and Jones of the Touch Research Institute in Miami, Florida indicated that 15 minutes of chair massage was more effective than a 15-minute break to reduce anxiety and help improve clear thinking.

Positive Workplace Stress Reduction

At Body Techniques, we’ve seen chair massage become an essential aspect of corporate stress management programs. Many of our national clients provide chair massage along with other positive workplace stress reduction practices like fitness classes, yoga and mindfulness meditation, and acupuncture sessions to help recruit and retain employees by increasing their job satisfaction along with their health.

Whether it is ongoing massage programs or one-time massage events for company events, employee appreciation days, or health fairs, companies are embracing massage as a key employee benefit because it has proven to be much more than simply a feel-good luxury; it can be a powerful tool to help employees take charge of their health and well-being. Chair massage is a highly effective and efficient use of time and resources that offer employees easily accessed mental, physical, and emotional relief. That means more productivity and fewer resources spent on training new staff to replace those who leave.

Want to learn more about chair massage?

Click the button below to visit our massage page.