Chair Massage: The Perfect Office Holiday Party Idea

Chair massage is a unique office holiday party idea

Massage is a great, unusual addition to your party. It's a great way to encourage employees to attend, especially if it's an after hours party during one of the busiest times of the year. It's a great break from traditional party games (if that's what your office is into) or other more formal corporate holiday traditions.

Massages relieve stress

It's no secret that the holidays can be a busy, stressful time for many people. Not only are many people preparing for travel, but they're busy with running from social commitments with family, friends and neighbors. (Not to mention the financial stress that many experience.) Massages is a quick and easy way to insert some relaxation into stressed employees lives—and it'll last beyond the time they spend in the massage chair.

Holiday party massage is low maintenance

Some corporate holiday party ideas are a lot of work to implement. You may have to gather supplies, make several phone calls to secure vendors or entertainment, or find people to run the show during the party. Massage is incredibly low maintenance. You'll just provide the massage company with the details of the event—when, where, and how many massage therapists you'd like. They'll take care of the rest, including finding massage therapists to staff the event, providing them with the details, and making sure everything goes off without a hitch. The day of the event, the massage therapists will show up a few minutes early, set up their equipment, and be ready to provide relaxation to your employees.

Holiday party massage will improve morale

Many companies use their holiday party as a way to thank their employees for a year of hard work. Coming up with a creative way to say "Thank You" that goes beyond gift cards or company swag doesn't have to be difficult—use the massages! Employees will know you value them when they see that you're offering massage. For many people, massage is a luxury and if they're employer is paying, they really do appreciate it.

Massage won't interrupt your holiday party plans

Many companies have corporate holiday traditions that employees will be expecting and may not want to break away from. Massage doesn't have to interrupt whatever you've already got planned. It's a great addition to the event. Putting a few chairs in the corner and offering quick 5-10 massages won't infringe on other parts of your celebration—in fact, it'll only enhance it.

Office holiday party chair massage requirements

If you're new to office chair massage, you may not know what to expect. Don't worry—we're experts and will let you know what to expect.

Chair massage space

The typical chair massage will require a 5x5 space to work in. If multiple massage therapists are coming to your office, you'll need that kind of space for each one. You'll also want to carefully consider the environment in which your employees will receive their massage. We've done massage in quiet, out-of-the-way break rooms and in loud and bustling conference venues. It'll be up to you to decide how you want your party chair massages to happen.

How to prepare your employees

When people receive chair massages for the first time, they often have lots of questions because they just aren't sure what to expect. Your employees won't have to remove any clothing to receive their massages. They should avoid bulky clothing. If your party is a formal affair, you may have some women concerned that they can't receive a chair massage in a skirt. It is absolutely possible to get on and off a chair massage while wearing a skirt.

Massage traffic control

Massage will be a popular addition to your party, so you'll need to decide how to deal with traffic control. You can form a line at the party, or have a sign-up sheet that goes around at the party with designated massage slots. Each of these options has pros and cons. Forming a line is great if your employees will be bringing guests to the party. They can stand in line with their plus-one, and won't have to worry about signing them up for a slot beforehand. If you don't want your employees to spend their party time waiting in a line, a sign-up sheet is great. People will know exactly what time to show up for their massage and won't spend their whole night waiting for a massage. With this option, you do risk people forgetting their assigned massage slot and wasting precious massage time. Whatever you decide will really be based on what size your party is, what venue you're holding it in, and other needs of your office.

Source: Amelia Wilcox of Nivati.com