As excess stress is increasingly being named as the cause for employee absences and drops in productivity, top employers across the country are taking steps to make sure their workforce is healthy and relaxed. This Virginia Business article takes a look at the different techniques that are being used to reduce work-related stress. Some companies are making daily workout classes available to their staff. Others have launched competitions that are designed to reward the employee who loses the most weight within a month. And an increasing number of companies are adding meditation time to their employee’ to do lists.

There’s also been a rise in companies purchasing massage chairs for their employee lounge areas. The reason being, a brief 15 minute session in a massage chair can induce the body’s relaxation response. This can be very useful in helping someone manage their stress because the relaxation response has the effect of loosening the body’s muscles and fascia and flooding the bloodstream with hormones that promote calmness, focus and a sense of positivity. And seeing as workplace stress causes costs US employers some $300 billion a year due to absenteeism, poor performance and turnover, the cost of a few massage chairs would be an incredible bargain.

Read the full article here: Keeping the work force fit