Justina Lam
Hang Seng Management College
Shirley M C Yeung
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Angel Beauty, a massage parlor in Hong Kong, hires and trains the visually impaired to become massage practitioners thereby helping a segment of society often forgotten. The company is not only helping those with disadvantages but they are also helping the population by providing a service that aims to reduce stress and increase relaxation.
Using hands for massage as well as having identification with respect, the visually impaired are no longer passive bystanders in the workforce. The certificated massage therapists are more professional and experienced in giving customized massage. Stressed under a high-pressure environment, customers can enjoy a moment of relaxation and comfort to severe muscle tension. Massage is a labor intensive work, which needs to have patience, concentration, and a good sense of innovations to engage customers that cannot be overlooked. Having enjoyed the autonomy in tasks arrangement during the process of providing massage service to customers, the visually impaired can decide their ways of handling massage instead of taking job instructions from management. This triggers the visually impaired massage practitioners for innovations.
Skills and the mentality of the visually impaired can be transferred to young people and semi-retired people, about how to realize the risk of losing jobs or a sense of ignorance from peers and the community, and how to tackle challenges for the future. The case of a visual impaired clerk worked in Angel Beauty, Nicky, has changed her jobs from handling secretarial work, provision of social services, to being a massage practitioner. The other case of the visual impaired massage practitioner, Jimmy, could also handle iPhone and applications well without any difficulties to facilitate his works in arranging customer appointments. Jimmy is now capable to compete with ordinary people on technological issues. In the ever-changing world, innovations are indispensable to all ages and levels within a community. People with visual impairment can be a driving force of sustainable development, promoting business disruption, evolution, and transformation through innovations.
The Social and Economic Impacts can be demonstrated via focusing on UNSDG8 Eco Growth in the massage industry through developing the hands and minds of visually impaired talents for sustainable development. The synergy effect on the pursuance of positive self-image and social status, as innovative use of hands for conducting massage to release pressure for people living in the city. Massage enables people who suffer from work pressure to restore energy for productivity. Discomfort from works and stiffness from pain or injuries can be alleviated from slow and deep massage technique. Blood circulation, metabolism and insomnia can be treated in a better way through massage. The venue decorations of Angel Beauty at different themes, for example, a style of grand royal class with collaboration of specific instrumental arrangement are part of the perceived innovations.The designed cards with the information about aromatherapy also help customers to acknowledge and select their favorite treatments and a venue of decorations to restoring energy and a sense of calmness for a sustainable and healthy lifestyle. Promoting mental health and quality of well-being are also a essence of sustainable development.
The visually impaired can have a new source of income through acquiring jobs from Angel Beauty and similar kinds of industries. They also realize the importance of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) by customizing services in massage. Innovations and designs accompanied with sustainable development of intellectuals can add values to business. Through employing visually impaired persons talents in providing massage treatments to customers or handling secretarial work, Angel Beauty can create an employee-friendly environment which is also considered as Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) for the company.
Being a massage therapist, the visually impaired can develop a sense of self confidence by discovering their specific competence. Acquiring employability and economic ability through gaining autonomy of works and a sense of respect from peers and the community. With professional training and certificated courses, visual impaired massage practitioner become a character of giving comfort and assistance and their mobility for employment is also improved.
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Dr. Angel Cheung, Chairman of Angel Beauty
