5 tips to encourage your workforce to be more environmentally-friendly in the office

In recent years, an increasing number of companies in the UK and around the world have been focusing their attention on boosting their green credentials. Businesses both big and small are making eco-friendly practices part of their corporate identity by showing a long-term commitment to sustainability, renewable energy and recycling initiatives. While not all firms will be able to spend the time or money needed to create a completely green workplace, changing the way your staff think and behave is a great place to start. Getting workers to adopt green practices and educating them about energy consumption and waste has numerous benefits - and not just for the planet. It can also make your business more attractive to prospective employees and clients and increase your profits. With this in mind, here are five tips to encourage your workforce to be more environmentally-friendly in the office. 1. Minimising energy waste Nowadays, most people take steps to reduce energy waste at home. After all, when it’s you who is responsible for paying the bills, you’re far more likely to take extra care to switch off the lights when you leave the room, or to turn off appliances when you’re not using them. Unfortunately, people aren’t always so economically or environmentally-conscious when at work. One way to tackle this problem is to encourage staff to treat the workplace more like home. To do this, try putting signs in shared spaces, such as meeting rooms, canteens and bathrooms, with gentle reminders to switch off the lights, turn off the taps and avoid leaving the heating on when the space is not in use. You could also display posters with statistics of how much energy could be saved and highlight the benefits of going green. While these may only seem like small actions, they can go a long way towards reducing energy consumption and cutting your office utility costs. 2. Promote recycling Despite the growing use of online and cloud-based systems, there’s still a large amount of wasted paper and other materials from offices. Although many workplaces are striving to go digital, the majority are still nowhere near being paperless and it’s surprising how many continue with wasteful habits despite knowing it’s bad for the environment. Of course, the easiest way to prompt your personnel to recycle paper is by providing plenty of recycling bins within easy access. Also, many office workers probably aren’t aware that a range of other supplies can also be recycled. Having clearly-labeled boxes for paper, plastic and glass, and showing your staff which items can be dismantled and recycled, can help to lessen the amount of waste. 3. Reducing food waste Another way in which staff can be more environmentally-friendly is to do with the food they eat. Food waste is an on-going concern in the UK, not only in terms of financial cost, but also the effect it has on climate change. Despite this, many people do little to reduce the amount of food they throw away everyday. Let’s face it, how many of us have had the idea of taking leftovers into work for lunch, only to take the lazy option and buy something from the canteen or shop? This common habit is both wasteful and expensive. The simplest way to minimise food waste is by encouraging people to bring pre-prepared food into the office. It’s also worth bearing in mind that helping your staff to eat more healthily can have other benefits, such as improving concentration and increasing productivity. 4. Green commuting Commuting to and from work is something most of us do twice a day, five days a week, without giving a second thought to how it affects the planet. Fortunately, there are many simple ways you can get your staff to adopt a greener approach to travel and reduce your company's carbon footprint. One way is by encouraging your staff to swap four wheels for two. Cycling to work instead of driving is not only more eco-friendly and cost-efficient, but it also has numerous health benefits. If the commute time is too long and cycling isn’t an option, try asking staff members who live close to each other to share lifts to work when possible. Another growing trend in the business world is flexi-time, or work-from-home policies. Not only does this mean that office workers have more freedom about where and when they work, but it also helps to cut down on the carbon emissions associated with travel. Rather than the traditional nine-to-five office job, many forward-thinking companies are now encouraging workers to travel to work only when necessary. Even allowing staff to work out of the office for a couple of days a week can significantly lower your firm’s carbon footprint. 5. Create a green team Finally, you may want to consider forming a company green team. Enlisting the help of your workforce and forming a committee who are in charge of environmental initiatives is a great way to motivate them and get them on board with your goals. For example, you may choose to assemble a team who oversee recycling programmes, or set up a rota and designate one person to take care of the recycling boxes each week. By giving people a sense of responsibility and asking for their input, they’re far more likely to take pride in the task rather than seeing it as a chore. It can also help to educate your employees about how their choices and actions affect the environment and company costs. As a further incentive, why not reward staff who are setting a good example by doing their bit for the environment? Offering a small prize, such as a voucher, can be an effective motivator. By bearing tips like these in mind, your company stands a much better chance of reducing its environmental footprint and improving its profit margins.