After an Easter break where most of us have had at least some sunshine and fresh air, it has come as something of a blow to find ourselves back at our desks, particularly as the sun, no respecter of working hours, continues to shine. Worse still for those of us in urban areas, who may scarcely see a blade of grass from Monday to Friday.
So consider the lucky people who work at Chiswick Park, the West London office park designed by the Richard Rogers Partnership and developed by Stanhope. A survey has found that 85% of respondents believe that the physical environment of the park adds considerable value to their work life.
The park, which refers to those who work there - including employees of Starbucks, Paramount and Setanta - as 'guests', even has its own 'Enjoy-Work management team'. The team aims to help guests achieve work-life balance.
Henry Williams, director at Stanhope, says "The office buildings and surrounding environment have a major influence on an employee's well being, and consequently levels of performance. The survey has been running for three years and these results represent the most positive to date, which suggests that in the current climate the role of the workplace is more significant than ever."
