Every Employee Should Be Treated to a Massage

Recently, on a press trip to Ponte Vedra Beach, FL., I was given the opportunity to experience my first spa treatment, a 50-minute massage at the Sawgrass Mariott Resort & Spa. My reaction to this white hot trend is this: massages should be a regular part of incentive rewards. Spa gift cards, accompanied by a Friday afternoon off, should be handed out like an old-fashioned pat on the back. It's the perfect way for a corporation to say "Thanks for working so hard, now go relax. It's important and you deserve it." 

Until this experience, I was under the impression that rest and relaxation were the same thing. Not true. There's something about ethereal music and aromatherapy that frees the mind. My spa massage took place in a darkened room, the first I've been in lately that didn't involve a PowerPoint presentation, a special treat, in and of itself. The massage therapist explained how muscle tension on one side of the body, sometimes causes pain and sensitivity to the other side of the body. I also learned that massage therapy can also be used to alleviate migraines.

An hour later, as I climbed into the tour van where some of my fellow travel writers were already seated, a hipster reporter from L.A. actually remarked "Wow, you really look relaxed and well-rested-- I guess from your spa visit."  To which I actually responded "I think every employee should be treated to a massage."

Comments

[Cara Fletcher]

It would be great if there is a massage therapy for the employees because people really need something like this to have some rest and relax a little bit from all the work.

[Konstantin Koss]

That would be great, I wonder why there are so many organizations use wellness programs and yet only so few use the grandfather of all wellness treatments - the massage therapy.

Spread the word. I have yet to find anything more relaxing than a good massage.