Businesses around the world are redesigning their workspace to a more sustainable office. It definitely has a huge impact on the planet, but also it creates a healthier environment for the workers supporting productivity and overall happiness. Why wouldn’t you put some green in your office?
In modern-day and times, more and more companies are recognizing the importance of environmental protection. They are taking all necessary steps in making sure their offices are sustainable. Also, they encourage and educate employees on this matter, and they directly benefit from an increase in their productivity and overall happiness. If you are looking for tips on how to create a sustainable office, here some helpful tips to get you started!
1. Adjust the Lightning
Adjusting the lighting in the office can make a difference when it comes to its sustainability. One of the golden rules is turning off the lights when the last employee leaves the office. To make this easier, you can even install motion sensors around the office. Moreover, you can use natural light as much as possible as an alternative. Another way to raise environmental consciousness is by replacing incandescent lightbulbs with LED lights or fluorescent lightbulbs. By taking care of minor details such as the lightning, you will be cutting expenses by half while also making the work environment eco-friendlier.
2. Ditch the Paper
One can’t imagine spending a day in an office without printing any document or file. However, printing drafts of the same document over and over again is unnecessary. In a modern company, employees no longer print documents. Instead, they upload them on the cloud. Similarly, rarely any manager uses the message board for updates, announcements, or notifications. The communication between the management and employees usually takes place in an employee app. This app also allows them to exchange files, drafts, knowledge, and information thus preventing the creation of a silo mentality. Still, if you do need to print something, make sure to use FSC certified paper instead of the regular one. Also, replace your regular paper products with 100% recycled ones.
3. Turn off Appliances Over Night
As mentioned above, turning off appliances overnight is crucial in making an office more sustainable. Personal computers, laptops, printers, and other electronics should never be left on overnight. Instead, turn them off or unplug them completely. Also, if an employee leaves their desk for longer than 5 minutes, advise them to put them in an energy-saving mode and turn off the monitors. Similarly, employees should turn off printers and copiers after every use, and use them only when necessary. You will quickly realize how much money you will save with this simple trick while the office will become energy efficient.
4. Organic and Green Snacks
If you were to look around any companies’ lunchroom, what do you think you would find? In most companies, you can find junk food and unhealthy snacks. For a more sustainable office and healthier employees, you should avoid such unhealthy office amenities and replace them with a healthier version. In particular, fresh and organic fruits, vegetables, and snacks. More importantly, be on the lookout for local companies and make use of their services. This way, you will be taking care of your employees’ health and well-being while also reduce carbon footprint. Similarly, you will be supporting and promoting local small businesses.
5. Get Rid of Plastics
For an eco-friendly office, you shouldn’t only get rid of the paper but also plastics. If every employee uses one single-use cup per day, at the end of the month, your company will have created a ton of plastic waste. Don’t get me even started on other manufacturing and distribution processes at an organizational level. Instead, you can encourage employees to use reusable bottles. You can even order and distribute branded bottles for everyone in the company to use. Similarly, during corporate events with catering, don’t use plastic and single-use cups or cutlery. This way you will reduce plastic waste on a corporate level and make employees brand advocates.
6. Recycle and Reuse
Although recycling and reusing seem like an obvious choice, they aren’t as easy as they sound. Employees might not be familiar with these processes, so they avoid participating in them. To get them to recycle, you can put labeled bins around the office for starters. Then, you can organize workshops on recycling and teach them how to recycle or reuse things and raise awareness on environmental protection. Employees can recycle their old notebooks, folders, and old documents. Similarly, they can make use of the backside of the paper for taking notes. As a result, employees will help create an eco-friendly office while also learn how to become responsible citizens of our planet.
Finally, to keep up with the modern world, your business should become sustainable. Through constant education and encouragement, and our tips, your employees can help you achieve this goal.
