Chiswick Park hosts wellbeing day

EXCLUSIVE: Chiswick Park Enjoy-Work has hosted a health and wellbeing event, which included massages, reflexology, manicures and pedicures.

The business park, which houses employers such as Absolute, Disney Discovery, Paramount and Starbucks, hosted the event with wellbeing provider Feel Good.

Chiswick Park runs regular health and wellbeing events, which are available to 8,000 employees across 45 organisations.

Gemma McNeilis, communications and CSR manager at Chiswick Park Enjoy-Work, said: “We do the usual things that a property management company does, such as cleaning and security, but we have a real focus on how we can help support the organisations here and help the individuals within those organisations enjoy their work. People who enjoy their work are more productive so the organisations benefit.

“We have Feel Good Friday on the last Friday of every month. We encourage employees to get away from their desks, take a break and do something different.”

Previous health and wellbeing events have included nutrition experts speaking about the importance of a balanced diet.

The wellbeing events tie into a range of other initiatives, including free on-site bikes for employees and an on-site sports centre that is available to everyone.

It also encouraged employees to pledge to cycle to work on 12 September for Cycle to Work Day.

“Chiswick Park communicates with employees through a weekly email and electronic screens in all its lifts. The best thing we’ve got is probably word of mouth,” adds McNeilis.

“We’ve got reception team members who are tasked with making sure they speak to everyone as they come into the building and reminding them about things like that. That is one of the key ways to get the message out there.”

In December 2012, the business park’s annual employee survey found that 81% of staff agreed that health and wellbeing programmes add value to their working life, compared to 76% who said the same in 2011.