COMPLEMENTARY | Employee health

ISSUE 117 – SUMMER 201612 INTERNATIONAL THERAPIST www.fht.org.uk

Working in the workplaceWe look at how therapy can support occupational health

Employees are among the greatest assets of any business and it is for this

reason that their health and well-being should not be overlooked. Employee ill health can have a detrimental impact on the running of any business or organisation, especially when you consider the financial implications. Work-related absences are very costly, with organisations in the UK losing an estimated £29 billion each year.1

The greatest number of working days lost to sickness are due to musculoskeletal problems, according to a report by the Office of National Statistics in 2014.2 This figure equates to 30.6 million days lost each year and represents nearly a quarter of all absences from work in the UK,

higher than the number of sick days taken off for colds or coughs. In addition, the same report stated that almost 12 per cent of all work absences, 15.2 million days, were because of mental health problems including depression and anxiety.

Furthermore the workplace can also be

the direct cause of ill health. The Health and Safety Executive states that 9.9 million working days are lost because of work-related stress, depression and anxiety. This accounts for 35 per cent of all work-related ill health cases and 43 per cent of all working days lost to ill health, with an average of 23 days lost per case.3 Similarly, an estimated 9.5 million working days are lost because of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMSDs), an average of 17.1 days lost for each case.4 WRMSDs accounted for 40 per cent of all work-related ill health in 2014/15.

The above statistics show that many employees are suffering from ill health, with the workplace itself often a factor. There is a clear need for more to be done to improve the working conditions and quality of life of employees and employers, which will in turn have a positive impact on profit margins. The widespread provision of therapy services in the workplace would perhaps not only address the above two objectives, it would also help employees feel well supported in their workplace and could give employers the peace of mind that they are creating a positive working environment where employees are thriving.

A recent report by market intelligence agency Mintel also makes a case for this by stating that: ‘With the link between working and stress, businesses could benefit from the introduction of more relaxing therapies as part of the employment package, helping to reduce the number of sick days being taken each year.’5 Mintel goes on to say that a number of blue-chip businesses have already introduced meditation programmes to

Reflexology and massage are popular therapies to be delivered in the workplace

“With the link between working and stress, businesses could benefit from the introduction of more relaxing therapies as part of the employment package, helping to reduce the

number of sick days being taken each year”A RECENT REPORT BY MARKET INTELLIGENCE AGENCY MINTEL

help employees manage stress, including Google, Apple, Ikea and the Department of Health. Furthermore, it highlights that ‘making treatments more relevant and accessible to office workers could help to drive further growth’ in the therapy industry, with many therapists ‘opening treatment clinics in popular business areas and focusing on work-related health concerns’. We are pleased to report that many FHT members are not only already doing this, they are also delivering therapy services directly to clients in their place of work.

According to Mintel: ‘Those working in desk-based roles [are] among the most affected [by musculoskeletal problems], with poor posture leading to back, neck and shoulder pain, as well as knee and hip impingement’. Many of you will already be aware of potentially effective therapy interventions for clients suffering with these problems. For instance, a 2014 study in Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice stated that neck pain accounts for one in five visits to massage therapists and it found massage therapy helpful in reducing neck arthritis pain and increasing range of motion.6

FHT MEMBERS IN THE WORKPLACEWe conducted our own survey to find out more about FHT members providing therapy services to employees in their place of work and received 74 responses. Our findings showed that just under half of respondents provide therapy services to employees working for large/corporate businesses, while 42 per cent work on-site at small to medium businesses. More than 30 per cent said they worked for well-known organisations which included Google, local councils and the Ministry of Defence.

POPULAR TREATMENTSOur members found Indian head massage to be very popular in the workplace, with nearly 60 per cent providing this therapy for employees, followed by reflexology at 55 per cent. These therapies are understandably popular in the workplace as they are adaptable enough to overcome the limitations of working in unconventional treatment settings and do not require clients to disrobe. However, while 15 per cent treat clients at their desk or normal area of work, 87 per cent said a dedicated room was made available to them for treatments. These are often meeting rooms or boardrooms that are unoccupied at various times throughout a normal working day.

Other therapies used in the workplace include Swedish or body massage (51 per cent), aromatherapy (31 per cent), remedial or sports massage (34 per cent) and seated acupressure (34 per cent).

More than half of respondents indicated that they treat both men and women in equal measure, with just under three per cent predominantly treating male clients. People aged between 31 and 50 were the most common age group treated, representing 75 per cent of clients in this field. This reflects Mintel’s findings that younger people (16-24 year-olds) are often more sceptical of complementary therapy. They also state that over 65s are generally less sceptical about complementary therapy than any other age group. This is more than likely not reflected in our survey because over 65s in employment represent a much smaller group than those aged between 31 and 50, since many would have retired.

Members revealed that they treated workers at all different levels of employment, with nearly two thirds treating operation level employees, 61 per cent treating middle management and just under 40 per cent declaring top management among their clientele.

TREATMENT OBJECTIVESUnsurprisingly, 94 per cent of respondents treat employees in their place of work to reduce work-related stress/tension. Reasons for this are predominantly because clients work in a high pressure or stressful environment. Mintel also provides an explanation for why many employees would require treatments to relieve stress. The report suggests that: ‘The pressures of balancing work and family life, commute distances and longer working hours is also contributing to elevated stress levels and fatigue’. Mintel cites a 2015 Trade Union Centre study that indicates that ‘the amount of people working more than 48 hours a week has increased by 15 per cent in the last five years.’ If this trend continues, it is likely that therapy

interventions will be in greater demand.Eighty five per cent of survey

respondents work with employees to address musculoskeletal problems, such as low back pain and neck pain. Many employees develop musculoskeletal problems because they sit or work in the same position for long periods and have poor posture. According to the University of Queensland: ‘Jobs that require constrained sitting or standing postures are associated with an elevated incidence of musculoskeletal disorders, with estimates of the prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms in computer users as high as 50 per cent’.7 The need to address musculoskeletal problems is also reflected in Mintel’s findings that as the UK employment rate rises, more and more adults are working in office jobs, which is having a direct impact on their musculoskeletal health.

THE PROS AND CONS OF THERAPIES IN THE WORKPLACEThe survey showed that employees having access to treatments in their place of work has other benefits aside from preventing and alleviating health problems. From the client’s point of view, it is time efficient (as employees can take less time away from their desks if a therapist is working in the same building) cuts out all travel time and makes booking appointments very easy. The added convenience may also mean that some employees will have treatments who may not have otherwise.

Importantly, there are also numerous advantages and disadvantages for therapists working in this capacity.

Respondents told us that it can be an opportunity to:♦ access/treat multiple clients in one location;

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13 ISSUE 117 – SUMMER 2016 INTERNATIONAL THERAPISTwww.fht.org.uk

An estimated 9.5 million working days are lost due to work-related musculoskeletal disorders

♦ network and meet new people;♦ treat a high volume of clients in a short space of time (due to reduced travel time);♦ have appointments organised for you by an employee of the respective company;♦ eliminate the cost of hiring a treatment room; and

♦ gain experience in the kinds of conditions relating to one occupation.

Conversely, others find:♦ sessions are too short for effective treatments, as employees may only have 15 to 20 minutes to spare;

COMPLEMENTARY | Employee health

ISSUE 117 – SUMMER 201614 INTERNATIONAL THERAPIST www.fht.org.uk

ALI COOK, MFHT, GIVES US AN INSIGHT INTO HER WORK

AT AARDMAN ANIMATIONSI’ve been a massage therapist for more than 12 years now and I’m lucky enough to have my own therapy space in my converted attic at home as well as massaging in-house at Aardman Animations – the home of Morph and Wallace and Gromit.

I work on two separate sites – the first is a newly-built site in central Bristol, where I am based in a conference room every week. On arrival, I move the tables and chairs to the side and set up my table in the middle of the room. I also work at the features site in north Bristol. At this site I’ve worked in various different areas, but at the moment I am in an empty office, so I just arrive and set up. One of the receptionists had the brilliant idea of online scheduling, so now clients can book pre-set time-slots themselves, which works really well.

I take my mobile therapy table and offer aromatherapy, clinical and deep tissue massage, as well as Thai foot and Indian head massage. My massage appointments are normally 30 minutes, although I also offer 20-minute slots as well as hour-long appointments.

I have a wide variety of clients, from

animators to personal assistants and producers, with very different needs. The animators tend to be hunched into odd positions for hours at a time: model-makers are bent over doing very fine work for long periods; some of the staff do a lot of running around on the studio floor and others are at their desks all day. There are often tight deadlines and I do a lot of general de-stressing and work mostly on the back, neck, shoulders and arms.

I love working here as I see such a wide range of clients with an age range between 20 and 60. My main challenge is to manage problems caused by repetitive work and often the first few sessions can be quite tough, but it’s really rewarding after this and

I’m able to give postural tips and exercises clients can do at home.

I think you need to be fairly flexible to do corporate work as sometimes you have to move rooms at short notice, you need to be willing to move furniture around and sometimes clients have to cancel at the last minute because of meetings. The reward is that you get an incredible breadth of experience and it’s very sociable as well as being a great way to build your client base.

Ali Cook, MFHT

♦ the work is tiring – treating a high volume of clients in any given day and transporting potentially heavy equipment to and from the workplace;♦ employees are late or miss appointments if they are busy with work;♦ they have more than one boss, and have to liaise with an occupational health firm and middle-management, as well as the client; and♦ it is less relaxing for clients than treatments in a dedicated therapy room (depending on the treatment area available).

A FOOT IN THE DOORWhile many of you will be confident that your therapies can improve the health and well-being of employees, you may be wondering how exactly to go about securing contracts or regular work in this field. Those members who responded to our survey indicated that there are various ways to get into this line of work. One way is to promote relevant qualifications and skills, along with information about how these can address the leading causes of absenteeism and work-related health issues. Making sure you have a good online presence is a useful way to get the attention of prospective clients. One FHT member told us that she did a CPD workshop in onsite chair massage and promoted this on her website and LinkedIn, updating both regularly. Because of this, companies were able to find her easily through web searches and contacted her directly.

Others have had success with contacting organisations directly. One member sent a letter to a company asking if they needed a complementary therapist and has now been providing therapy there for almost 13 years. Another put together a ‘stress information package’, had professional leaflets printed and emailed and wrote letters to prospective employers regarding the benefits to the organisation.

It is also important to look at your network. You may have friends, family or clients who work in organisations you want to provide therapies for or know people who do. They may refer you to their employers or give you the contact details of someone within the organisation who is receptive to the idea of improving staff well-being through therapy services. Some FHT members have worked in offices before becoming therapists and have even ended up providing therapies for the organisations they left to pursue their therapy career.

MEMBER TO MEMBER…For those interested in tapping into this line of work, here are some handy tips and success stories from members already working with employees in the workplace:

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References1 Hallsall K (2014). How to manage recurring sickness

absence, HR Magazine www.hrmagazine.co.uk [accessed online on 19 May, 2016].

2 Office for National Statistics (2014). Sickness absence in the labour market: February 2014.

3 Buckley P (2015). Work related Stress, Anxiety and Depression Statistics in Great Britain 2015, Health and Safety Executive www.hse.gov.uk [accessed online on 24 May, 2016].

4 Buckley P (2015). Work-related Musculoskeletal Disorder (WRMSDs) Statistics, Great Britain, 2015, Health and Safety Executive www.hse.gov.uk [accessed online on 24 May, 2016].

5 Mintel (2015). Complementary and alternative medicine, Mintel Group Ltd.

6 Field T, Diego M, Gonzalez G, et al (2014). Neck arthritis pain is reduced and range of motion is increased by massage therapy, Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice 20(4): 219-223.7 Healy G, Lawler S, Thorp A, et al

(2012). Reducing prolonged sitting in the workplace an evidence review: full report, The University of Queensland www.uq.edu.au [accessed online on 20 May, 2016].

Useful tips‘To get a foothold, offer to do an hour of free treatments as a taster. Make sure you contact the right person; HR is often the main contact point but not always. Find out who is responsible for the budget.

‘Tell your friends and clients – they may work in a company that will use your services. You then come with a personal recommendation.’

Lesley Crymble, MFHT

‘Be prepared to be on the go and be organised with your schedule and timings when treating clients. Slots tend to be fairly short in order to fit more people in, so make sure you work within your time scale and create your own short routine in order to give the most varied, comprehensive treatment you can. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, be assertive and ask for a written contract to be set up.’

Emma Leeson, MFHT

‘Be absolutely clear that the session should take place away from the desk/workstation/computer, in a room or area with no distractions or noise. Oils are not required; hands are sufficient. In ten minutes you can massage the head, neck, shoulders, upper back, ears and face, including temples. Do not rush it, let it flow and if time is critical you could leave out ears or face.’

Ann Jones, AFHT

Success storiesMembers share experiences of how therapy in the workplace has helped clients: ‘Both of my contracts offering massage in offices started off at once a month. One of them increased to weekly sessions for eight months. The employees seemed a lot happier, less stressed and their aches and pains I had worked on had really improved and sometimes disappeared for good.

‘I had one particular client who had been suffering from bad back pain for years. I am not in a position to diagnose but I persuaded her to see a doctor and she is now getting the help she needed.’

Emma Leeson, MFHT

‘A lady with global degenerative arthritis in all areas of the body noticed a massive reduction in pain of the back, neck and hips after just one treatment of seat acupressure massage. I have had fantastic results from five-minute taster treatments and regularly treat clients for five minutes as a result. Office workers love it.’

Caroline Mehew, MFHT

‘One client presented with a frozen shoulder. She was doing exercises recommended by her NHS physiotherapist but she was only able to raise her arm to a 95-degree angle. The client was highly responsive to

KATE CASSIDY, MFHT, TALKS ABOUT WORKING WITH CORPORATE CLIENTS

After working as a self-employed complementary therapist for a few years, a friend of mine, who had worked in human resources for 12 years, recognised the need for complementary therapies in corporate settings, so we joined together to specialise in this line of work. Our company, Unicorn and Co, has been going for about a year now. We provide corporate wellness solutions across the UK, treating clients with a range of complementary therapies, including massage, Indian head massage, reflexology, yoga and mindfulness.

We have been working with a wide range of companies including the British Transport Police, Shoosmiths, Balfour Beatty, Byrom, Chiswick Park, Paycare, Black Country Chamber of Commerce, Manchester Law Society and Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club.

Some of these companies organise well-

being days, or four or eight week courses in massage, yoga or mindfulness.

Treatments usually take place in a spare boardroom or dedicated room with enough space for employees to perform yoga stretches or take part in mindfulness sessions.

The aims of our treatments include reducing stress, increasing productivity, increasing resilience, addressing mental health and reducing musculoskeletal injuries.

Paycare hires our services regularly, as their chief executive, Kevin Rogers is committed to

making their company the ‘best workplace to work for’.

Clients working for the various organisations we visit often suffer from stress, so even a 15-minute seated chair massage or yoga session can increase their energy levels and productivity, improve their mood and help change the working culture.

myofascial release techniques and this increased her range of movement considerably. After a few sessions she was able to move her arm 160 degrees.’

Marina Young, MFHT

‘We evaluate staff well-being levels before and after wellness workshops and there is always a significant change to the results for the better following the sessions/therapy groups. We are currently evaluating the sessions based on combined weekly results to see how the workshops perform as a whole and again they show a positive improvement to staff well-being.’

Kelly De Souza, MFHT

THANK YOUto all those who

completed the FHT work in the workplace

survey. The information you provided has been

invaluable to this feature.

Kate Cassidy, MFHT

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