Add a refreshing touch to benefit programs - massage breaks for employees

HR Magazine, Oct, 1998 by Nancy Hatch Woodward

CHOOSING A MASSAGE THERAPIST

For most organizations, the first step is finding a qualified masseuse. Cheryl Hutcherson, membership assistant for the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA), cautions employers to make sure the therapist has been state-certified. "This will tell you that they have met certain qualifications, such as graduating from an accredited school with at least 500 hours of training and passing the state certification." AMTA has a list of qualified massage therapists throughout the United States, and they are glad to make recommendations or to put you in touch with a chapter located near your business.

"Certification alone may not guarantee that you have found the best therapist." cautions Tyler Watson, owner of Corporate Touch: Hands-On Stress Solution, a Cherry Hill. N.J., company providing certified masseuses for the workplace. "Some people go into massage because they think they can make good money, and they might not be in touch with their own sense of hands-on ability. I have found through my years of interviewing people to work for our company that a lot of people get out of school but still don't quite have what I consider to be quality talent."

Wilkinson suggests that after employers have verified certification, they inquire about the therapist's specific corporate experiences. "Ask how long they have run corporate programs before - and ask for references," she says. "Then you will also want to know about the types of massages they do. I wasn't set on a particular type of massage; I left it open for them to convince me which method was best."

Wilkinson also emphasized that she wanted someone with a wellness background, but, "I didn't want someone into really extreme alternative medicines who would be prescribing things. I was really careful to explain to the masseuse that he was there to do massage. Certainly, we both realized that people might ask him questions about vitamins and exercise, but he should refer them to the nutritionists and exercise physiologists that we have in our wellness center. That was a concern of ours because of the issue of liability. He was not qualified to prescribe any medical treatments, although he certainly could frame answers as being his opinion and then refer the person to one of our professionals."

LOOK AT LIABILITY ISSUES

Liability is a definite concern for companies considering a massage therapist. What if someone is injured during the massage? None of the companies interviewed had experienced a problem with employees being hurt or complaining about bad treatments, but all of their therapists are expected to carry their own liability insurance. Certified masseuses can buy up to $3 million worth of coverage through two national massage associations, or they can purchase their own coverage through an insurance company.

One liability issue remains a big concern - possible sexual abuse. "That was probably our biggest fear," says Wilkinson. "What would happen if you got some shady character in there and somebody got abused or molested? You just can't insure against that. What you do need to do is to be diligent on the screening. That's also why we offer only chair massage. The employee stays completely dressed, and the massage can take place in a fairly public place."