Rubbing Away the Tension

Going for a relaxing massage to ease stress levels is a treat for most people - but employees at Yorkshire Waters Bradford-based contact centre Loop dont even need to leave their desks to get a bit of star treatment.

The company knows how important it is to have a motivated and energised workforce so, on a bi-monthly basis, a team of professional masseuses, from The Treatment Rooms in Cleckheaton, descend on Loops offices for a week giving all 600 employees the opportunity to have a head and shoulder massage.

With 2.8 million working days lost every year across the UK due to stress, depression or anxiety the massages really help employees at the company to feel appreciated while also reducing stress levels.

Diane Idle, customer relationship manager (CRM) at Loop who also owns the Treatment Rooms in Cleckheaton commented: "Given the nature of the work at Loop employees spend a large amount of time sitting at their desks in the same position. What the massages aim to do is relax their muscles while also encouraging them to improve their posture."

The massages are certainly welcomed by employees, CRM Dominic Goulding said: "A lot of my colleagues look forward to the 10 minutes of relaxation we get every few months. The massages make us feel appreciated by the management team."

Thomas Pritchard also a CRM added: "I feel that the idea of getting massages at work is a very good thing. It is not something that I have been able to benefit from at previous work places and if I mention it to someone outside of Loop, they are suitably impressed by how well we are treated.

"At certain times it can feel pretty hectic here and as a result, the massage sometimes couldn’t come at a better time. Even if that isn’t the case, it’s welcomed by the majority of people as an addition to the feeling of being appreciated by Loop on a whole."

CRM Shazia Jan said: "What a treat...I look forward to these massages every time and feel the benefit of it almost immediately. The tensions of everyday life (work/home) seem to fade away. "

The wellbeing of the workforce is key to Loops great place to work ethos and the company’s flexible working schemes are not only popular with employees but have received national recognition. The UK’s leading work-life balance organisation Working Families named Loop as a top employer for working families, workplace engagement specialists Best Companies has classed Loop as a great place to work and on five occasions it has been in the Sunday Times 100 Best Companies to Work For list.