Many people would scoff at the idea that the workplace can be a home from home. Weighed down by their mobiles, laptops and BlackBerries, they would be more likely to bemoan the way their work disrupts their private lives.

The employees of Europe’s best workplaces take a very different view, however. One of the noticeable themes to emerge from this year’s ranking of the 100 best workplaces in Europe is the strong attraction that many employees feel to their work and the personal bonds they have with their colleagues and managers.