Company benefits/alternative therapies

[lems]

I have recently taken up yoga and the owner of the centre I go to offers quite a few alternative therapies (reiki, reflexology, shiatsu etc).  We were chatting the other evening and she was talking about contacting companies with a view to going in and seeing if they would be willing to offer therapies as perhaps part of a benefits package to employees or subsidising such therapies.  As I work for a firm that, seemingly, doesn't understand the words "benefits pacakge" I couldn't really advise her whether companies would be interested.  I know a lot have in-house gyms or offer subsidised gym membership as part of a benefits package but the only other companies we could come up with who do offer in-house yoga were some of the large American investment banks based in London.  So over to you - I would be interested to know if your employers are starting to take your health more seriously - do they already offer alternative therapies, whether in-house or otherwise as part of your benefits package?  Do American/other European companies offer more than UK ones?

In a nutshell is there a need for me to start a yoga and bendy bits for all campaign!!!

I would welcome your comments.

Thanks.

Lemmie

[chris68]

lemmie,

Where my DH works they offer a discount for a certain gym that they can go to as an extra perk if you will.  But other than that our HMO (Preferred Care) gives you a discount on the registration fee when you sign up for a gym, but you still have to pay the monthly fee out of your own pocket.

To answer your question, however, I have not worked for a company that offers in-house training from a gym (believe me that would be a wonderful perk), but you can certainly go to any gym yourself and get the above-mentioned discount if you have health insurance.  As far as the alternative therapies, I am not so sure they would be covered, I would have to call the HMO to find out if they are covered, there again, it may be just the registration fee and not the monthly fee if they work the same way as the gym does.

Chris68
Deskdemon Forum Board Staff

Edited by chris68 on 30/01/02 05:06 PM.

[radaro]

I work for a hightech company in Canada.  We get an annual sport subsidy.  We can use this towards a gym membership, sporting equipment (not clothes or running shoes) or any type of exercise class (including aquafit, yoga, you name it).  Receipts required!

Also, we have health benefits that cover massage, chiropracters, Chinese herbal medicine and a few other "alternative" practices.  I'm not sure exactly what this covers since I have never really used this benefit.

We do not have an in-house gym or daycare for that matter, but our offices are located near two community centres so many people run out at lunch hour for their work-out.

If you are in an organization that is competing heavily for skilled workers (i.e. hightech) your company will offer great benefits.  While I was interviewing 2 years ago with other high tech companies, some of the other benefits I saw were: on site beach volleyball court, subsidized cafeterias, movie nights, and free parking.

[superninjaadmin]

Hi Lemmie,

Besides making sure that all of our office workers have ergonomic desks and chairs...as far as alternative health benefit packages, my employer offers an employee assistance program.  Basically to get professional guidance/counseling/therapy to assist employees through personal problems like divorce, etc.  Employer also reimburses $300 per year towards a membership to a gymnasium.  We also have a small gym in our building that is free that people use (has a treadmill, stairmasters, stationary bikes and a small universal weight set).  We've also arranged to have a massage therapist visit our office every Wednesday (all day).  She has a massage table and blocks out 15 minute slots for those who would like to have a massage.  It's nice because lots of people have back problems and stress and it's easy to just walk down the hallway into a quiet room for a quick massage.  Another thing we did was coordinate an aerobics instructor that gave classes in our cafeteria after work hours three days a week.  I think if you have the space available and employee interest, you might be able to contract someone to visit your offices after work hours to offer their services.  Something to think about.  

SNA

[ozbound]

Our company offers chiropractic therapy, acupuncture, naturopathic physicians and massage therapy in their benefits package. The conditions are that to get full coverage you have to use a practicioner in the preferred providers list and you need a physician's or Chiropractor's referral for massage therapy.

It would be nice if they offered in-house yoga or gym memberships--after all, there's a yoga class right downstairs in our building! As tenants we do have use of their little "gym" down there, though it's tiny and not too well equipped. Still, all in all, we have a pretty good package, and this year they (finally!) added birth control and domestic-partner benefits. Welcome to the 21st Century! [exclamation]

Edited by ozbound on 30/01/02 05:55 PM.

[mathwhizchick]

The company I work for in Ohio has a gym (called the Wellness Center) at its Downtown location, available free of charge to all employees (unfortunately, employees only, not to their families/spouses).  They offer yoga (hatha only), tae kwan do, a nice variety of aerobic classes, tai chi (just started) and they have personal trainers on staff who will meet with you and design a fitness regime for you to follow.  They have free weights, nautilus type weight machines, a 1/14 mile track and a whole variety of exercise machines (treadmills and the like), as well as nice locker rooms with showers, LOTS of mirrors and electrical outlets, etc.  I started yoga at the Wellness Center and have since branched out to one of the local established yoga studios to do ashtanga yoga, since it wasn't offered through the Wellness Center.
I cannot speak about coverage for the alternative treatments, since I have never been chronically/seriously ill (knock on wood), but I have been told that the Employee Occupational Health Service area is VERY knowledgeable and helpful and does a lot toward getting alternative meds paid for (as long as they are on "the list", something noted by another poster).
As for domestic partner benefits, I can't speak to that, since I have gone a more traditional route.  Some companies in Ohio have done that (I know Case Western University does, since I have a friend who is professor at Cleveland Institute of Music), but it's not in wide spread use.
Overall, I am really QUITE pleased with my benes, even more so since I was a free-lance professional musician for 20+ years and had to make do on my own steam.....

[countrigal]

SNA... I would love to work in your company for the massage benefit alone!  What I wouldn't give to be able to schedule a 15 minute massage sometime during my stressful day, even if it's only once a week!  I'm missing my massage therapist since I moved from LR and so far haven't had the time to locate one locally that will provide the type of massage that she provided (read: deep muscle massage with therapeutic advantages).  Believe me, I can tell it in my shoulders, back, and legs, and in the number of headaches I'm getting again.

Government employee -- says it all.  Though we have weights and stuff in the building, they are for patient use only, not staff, so we have no gym of any kind on premise.  Membership to any gym is not offered, nor am I aware of alternative medicines included in any of the healthcare packages.  The positive side is that my husband is still active duty so I have access to the gym on base for free.  Now if I'll just start going!

CountriGal
Deskdemon Editorial Board Member

[smitkit]

Hi Lemmie

At our head offices, they have a company that come in one day a month and give invigorating head and shoulder massages (don't want people to fall asleep at their desks now do we!) although they charge for that.  

They also have yoga classes after work on the premises, and I think you have to pay for those as well, although it would only be a nominal amount.

I'd suggest to your yoga teacher that she doesn't go in with just one package in mind.  i.e. she can offer after work classes at no cost to the company, just use of their premises, she can advertise on their noticeboards, they could pay her to come in etc etc.

Of course you would have to check liability conditions for it.

Hope that helps

Smitkit

[hgray]

Lemmie,

I work for a large shipping company in the south east of England (near Gatwick Airport).  Our company offers discount cards for the local health centre (swimming or the gym) - which are very good value.  I use this myself during lunch times as it's literally about 10 mins from our office.

Last year we had "in-house" Pilates classes at lunchtime where a trainer came in and did an hours class with anyone who was interested - we didn't pay, the company did.  It was very well received to start off with but dwindled down towards the old festive season !  Not sure if they plan to continue with this.

That's it for me.

Helen