How massage chairs at BEMA promote employee health

Whether it's regulated working hours, workplace conditions or minimum wages, the interests of employees have gradually gained weight, especially in recent decades. And rightly so, because employees are the most valuable resource of any company. One more reason why companies are increasingly focusing on employee health.

Marko Schleibaum is Managing Director at BEMA Verpackungsabfall Deutschland GmbH and BEMA Austria. Specializing in the marketing of waste, they offer companies an alternative solution to conventional disposal and employ staff both in-house and in the field.

In an interview, he reveals to us why BEMA opted for a massage chair for their employees, the health-promoting considerations behind it and how this measure has been received.

Employee satisfaction was one of the reasons that led to the purchase of a massage chair, why?

There are several reasons, of course, but employee satisfaction was definitely the deciding factor. It is a central element of a successful company and it is also clear to us at BEMA that a satisfied employee is also more valuable from an economic point of view. It's important to us that our employees come to work motivated and don't start thinking longingly about quitting time in the morning.

As an employer, you have to do something about this, and benefits like a massage chair are a great way to do something good for employees on several levels. On the one hand for the physical well-being and on the other hand for the mental well-being.

As a managing director, I know the situation and the associated stress of spending hours in the office or in the car. Also, we are a family business and therefore, so to speak, on the front line ourselves and directly affected by the working conditions - so there is really no reason not to deal with it. Both the appreciation aspect and that of employee health are well served in this way.

Looking back, was the massage chair for employees worth it?

Definitely. As a company, we have to be profitable first and foremost. This works best with motivated employees who deliver top performance every day. Whether in logistics, purchasing, accounting, service or order processing - when an employee feels good, the work goes on.

And when things get a bit too much, breaks are an excellent way to refocus, recharge your batteries, get a fresh perspective on things and then get back to work.

But it is often the case that even during breaks, work issues are still present and you can't really focus on relaxation and recuperation. A massage chair like this helps immensely.

This is also confirmed by our employees, who gratefully accept it, use it frequently, and really regard it as a sign of appreciation on the part of the company. Cake and coffee are always available in offices - but a full-body massage is a whole lot better.

The massage chair is also available and useful for all employees. While some colleagues spend eight hours at their desks, our employees in the field sometimes drive several hundred kilometers in a day.

They also welcome the comfort of a relaxing back massage at the end of a long day.

Another aspect that makes the purchase of a massage chair worthwhile from a company's point of view is the possibility of receiving funding as part of the company's health promotion program and, of course, the tax advantages.

The incentives for companies to actively do something for employees are therefore clearly available and simply need to be used.

The first way led to Massage Chair World - what experience did BEMA have here?

When we first got to grips with the topic and started researching, there was no way around you. Very present online with a friendly appearance, we immediately made an appointment for a consultation. The consultation of Michael Roedeske can be summarized as highly professional.

In the consultation, they had taken over an hour for me to answer all my questions on the one hand and also to provide a helpful overview of the wide range of products. Michael is clearly a specialist who leads his industry and knows exactly what he is talking about.

This is especially noticeable in the fact that he understands in a pleasant way how to work out the individual added value, expectations and needs of his customers. It was not a classic sales talk, but one had the feeling that it was very benevolent. Just a great experience, with the result that a massage chair definitely had to come to our office.

And so it happened, and upon delivery, the professionalism continued.

"It was well advised, with a of course delivered on time, neatly worked and then perfectly trained and instructed. If I were asked how to improve the work at Massage Chair World - I wouldn't know."

Promoting employee health and increasing productivity - massage chairs for managing human resources

We consider the massage chair an investment in employee health. Health has been a far too neglected topic in the workplace for a long time, yet it has a huge impact on so many areas. The massage chair helps us address these aspects in terms of our most valuable resource.

● It increases motivation and productivity in the workplace
● It promotes the ability to concentrate by allowing breaks to be used more efficiently for actual physical, as well as mental, relaxation
● Physical ailments can be prevented by easing tension due to poor posture and prolonged sitting.
● It is an additional way of making employees feel valued and making the workplace even more attractive.
● Reduction in sick days through health promotion
● Stronger employee loyalty overall

Numerous benefits that can be brought about with relatively little effort that is also encouraged. For us, it was therefore an easy decision.

We would like to thank Marko Schleibaum from BEMA for the interview and the insight into motivational reasons for purchasing a massage chair for his employees and wish him continued success, health and of course relaxation at work.