Exposing the Dirty Secret Behind "Wellness" Companies… And Why Seraphim is Different

What ethical, sustainable workplace wellness actually looks like… and why it matters.

Let’s cut to the chase: not all corporate wellness services are created equal.
In fact, many of the biggest names in workplace “wellness” are quietly getting away with practices that are anything but “well.”

The uncomfortable truth:

Some of London’s most prominent workplace massage providers are building their businesses on the backs of underpaid, overworked, and poorly treated therapists.

How?
It comes down to one loophole:

👉 They contract, not employ.

That means no employment rights. While they’re technically in charge of how much work they accept, the reality is more complicated.

When contractors are in need of income, and often new to the country, the chances of them accepting a damaging amount of work for minimal pay becomes dangerously high.

The trouble is, massage is a highly physical profession that relies on the therapist’s body. Often, years of training have gone into reaching a high level of skill — and the pay should reflect that.

The standard client rate for an hour of massage in London ranges between £50 and £150. This level of pay allows the therapist to earn a living wage and take the necessary downtime between clients.

And yet, how much are some large wellness companies paying massage therapists?
£20 per hour.

That might not sound terrible at first glance, but ask yourself:

How many hours of intense, physical, one-to-one work would you need to do each day just to break even?

This isn’t sitting at a desk. This is standing, moving, and driving pressure through your body, joints, and thumbs, over and over again.

Even the UK Government has acknowledged the problem. A formal petition submitted to Parliament in 2022 called for legal limits on therapist workload, stating:

“For an 8-hour shift, limits need to be a maximum 4.5 hours of massage to maintain physical and mental well-being of massage therapists.”
— UK Parliament Petition

The UK’s leading insurance provider for massage therapists, FHT, stresses in its Code of Conduct the importance of protecting therapist welfare through reasonable hands-on limits and adequate breaks. Many accredited courses also recommend that therapists take at least 10–15 minutes between one-hour sessions to stay safe and effective.
FHT Code of Conduct & Professional Practice (PDF)

The real kicker?

These companies charge you £75–150 per hour… so where’s all the money going?

❌ Office leases
❌ Middle management
❌ Sales teams
❌ Branding and PR
❌ Admin layers you’ll never meet

You're not paying for massage.
You're paying for the machine.

Seraphim does it differently.

We’re a therapist-led business, not a faceless agency.
Lean, ethical, human.
And built by someone who’s been in the treatment room — not just the boardroom.

Here’s what sets us apart:

✴️ Ethical Pay
We pay therapists properly. No exploitation. No guesswork. Just fair rates that honour their time, body, and skill.

✴️ Sustainable Scheduling
We refuse to overbook. We honour pacing, rest, and realistic limits. That’s how you get therapists who are energised, not exhausted.

✴️ No Middle-Management Fluff
We’re not funding layers of office staff who’ve never touched a client in their lives. Our money goes to hands, not hierarchies.

✴️ Trade-Tested Therapists Only
Every therapist is vetted by a pro. If I wouldn’t trust them with my own body, I won’t send them to your team.

✴️ Measurable Impact
Our people aren’t dragging themselves through back-to-back shifts. They’re focused, fresh, and able to give your team the attention they deserve.

And yes — we’re still competitively priced.
Because when you put people first and strip out the fluff, you don’t need a bloated budget to offer a high-end experience.

Why it matters

Your team can tell the difference. They know when something feels aligned — and when it’s just for show.

Bringing in an overworked, underpaid therapist for rushed 10-minute backrubs doesn’t scream “we care.” It screams tick-box. And in 2025, that’s not good enough.

But bringing in someone who's valued, energised, and actually wants to be there?

That’s when it resonates.
That’s when culture shifts.

If you're serious about wellness, start with how it's delivered.

By working with Seraphim, you’re choosing to support:

✅ Ethical employment
✅ Sustainable practice
✅ Human-centred wellbeing

🔗 Book a free 15-minute consultation here