You Asked for It
April 2004

The plant I work at is one of several facilities in the US where we manufacture cutting and some garden tools. Our workforce has been introduced to the Impacc program and we have an excellent occupational therapist that our employees respect come in on an "as needed basis". I'm right now thinking about bringing in a massage therapist to give mini massages at the work centre as a "Thank you" to the employees for their excellent safety record. Do you have any information on this topic?

Linda
Manager, Human Resources

Response:

Please accept my apology for the delay getting back to you. Before I replied, I wanted to get the opinion of a couple people in healthcare.

Personally and professionally, I am a great proponent of massage. At a clinical level it reduces muscle tension, reduces inflammation and (done well) can promote healing. There are also many benefits on a psychological level.

The concept of using "mini massages" to reward your workers for safe working behaviours is interesting. I would be concerned if you were using massage as a reward for productivity - if this were the case, workers would push themselves to the point of injury for the sake of a few moments of hands-on relief. As a reward for safe working behaviours however, you would be mostly encountering the psychological benefits of massage. Hands-on therapy implies, "I am cared about". Combining with the safe work practices (meaning "I care about my well-being and that of my co-workers") creates a whole picture of a caring culture.

Please let me throw out another possibility...In discussion with a chiropractor we were concerned that mini massages would offer only short term benefits. It might be preferable to teach the workers skills that they could use to better their physical well-being both at work and at home. In particular, a yoga or Pilates class could be a reward that teaches strengthening and stretching exercises that can be used throughout their lifetime.

st

Reply to response:

Thanks for the input. We have in the past presented to the workforce the IMPACC training course on the importance of treating your body as an athlete does. We encourage stretching every hour on the floor and have incorporated a 2 to 4 minute walk half way thru the shift. The idea of a "mini-message" was from an employee on the floor, since then several employees have mentioned that they think it would be great!!

I've asked a local occupational therapist, who has been in-house several times a year for the past 5 years. She has the respect of all employees at all levels and is well received when she comes in. Her thoughts would be to do the mini-massage and visit with the employee at the same time, asking if they had any concerns and offering suggestions they could use to make their life easier here at work and at home. I truly believe you have to think of the employees "whole life" and not just their "work life". Simple things like healthy treats, on-site testing (mammograms, etc..), information on health topics in the break room, etc....

Unfortunately we had three recordable injuries last week, so my mini-massages are not going to happen in May, but because we do care, I will find another reason to provide them to the employees, on a voluntary basis. I never think about production first, with a positive attitude of employees on the floor, productivity will automatically come. I'll let you know how the min-massages go over when we have them.

Linda

Response:

Thanks for keeping me apprised of your situation. By now you have noticed the "Catch-22" of rewarding safe behaviours with massage. The very workers who need massage are also the least likely to get it.

Your OT's idea of incorporating the mini massage into an interview at the work station is good - it will give an opportunity to head off problems before they become recordable injuries. It sounds like your company is evolving an Ergonomics Culture - preventing ergonomics issues instead of simply replying to concerns. Congratulations!

st

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