Massage chair in the office: more expensive than coffee?

Intro: The daily coffee moment

A cup of coffee is a part of office life. For many, it's the perfect opportunity to catch your breath, chat with colleagues, or start the day right. But what if we compare that coffee break to another moment of well-being: a daily massage? Many employers think a massage chair is a luxury and therefore too expensive. But is that really the case?

The real cost of coffee

Coffee may seem cheap, but on an annual basis this quickly adds up.

• For a small team of 5 employees, each making 4 cups of coffee a day, you will quickly exceed €100 per month .

• Add to that the costs of machines, maintenance, electricity and crockery, and the bill increases even further.

• The same applies to families: a Nespresso capsule every day sounds small, but often amounts to hundreds of euros per year .

So coffee is a recurring expense. You don't pay just once, but every day, every month, every year.

Investing in a massage chair

A massage chair is initially a larger expense. But if you calculate this over 5 to 10 years (the average lifespan), you'll find that the monthly costs are often lower than your coffee expenses .

Moreover, a massage chair provides more than just relaxation:

• Less stress and tension among employees.

• Increased productivity and focus.

• Less absenteeism due to back and neck complaints.

• A modern look for customers and visitors.

In other words: where coffee only provides a temporary boost, a massage chair structurally contributes to health and well-being.

Tax advantage: invest smarter

What many entrepreneurs don't know: a massage chair can often be fiscally interesting.

• As a fixed asset, the investment may be depreciated.

• In some cases, the chair may even fall under occupational health and safety provisions or health promotion measures – something that is becoming increasingly important in the context of sustainable employability.

• Always consult your accountant or tax specialist, but in practice we see that the tax benefits significantly reduce the effective cost price.

This means that a massage chair not only becomes an investment in the team, but also a financially smart choice.

Comparison: Coffee vs. Massage

Let's keep it simple:

• Coffee: a monthly bill, adding up to thousands of euros over 5 years.

• Massage chair: one investment, spread over years, often cheaper than the cost of a daily coffee.

And while coffee mainly provides a short energy boost, a massage chair helps you to work in a healthier, more productive and happier way on a structural basis.

Conclusion: luxury or logical choice?

So the question isn't whether a massage chair is more expensive than coffee—because it often isn't. The question is: do you, as an employer, want to invest in lasting improvements in well-being and productivity , or are you stuck in the short-term caffeine fix?

👉 A massage chair in the office is no longer a luxury, but a smart investment in health, happiness and tax benefits.