In a world where issues like the economy, natural disasters, and the global pandemic reign as big concerns, being environmentally conscious doesn’t feature as top priority. That does not mean, however, that it is unimportant. In fact, what many companies fail to realize is that besides preserving the environment, having an eco-friendly workplace has a massive upside for the business bottom line – with both immediate and long-term benefits such as reduced spending and better quality of employee well-being.
If you are among the many who have thus far not implemented green practices in your office, you may feel intimidated by the idea of starting out. Do not worry – a few small changes can go a long way to reduce your business’ carbon footprint by a mile.
Here we discuss various ways to implement eco-friendly practices at work that will benefit your company's earning -both immediately and in the long run:
Consider going paperless
Using physical paper entails a chain of expenses – one that is definitely includes more than the cost of paper itself. Expenses include (but can definitely not be limited to) writing material like pens and pencils, buying and maintaining printers, purchasing ink cartridges, as well as the storage and space involved in keeping equipment as well as supplies. In fact, a study by Gartner says that companies tend to spend as much as 1 – 3% of their total annual revenue in printing-related expenses alone.
There are many ways one can implement a paperless policy – or at least reduce using paper as much as possible. You can start by either removing or greatly restricting employee access to printers and printing supplies. The next step would be to replace as many printed documents with electronic versions. For instance, instead of putting up memos on the wall, you can email them to your employees. You can even use online signature systems instead of physical agreements.
Measure Your Power Consumption
When it comes to becoming more eco-friendly, reducing your power consumption is one of the best ways to save both energy and money. And while switching off the lights when they are not in use is a fabulous start, there is so much more than you can do to implement a better green strategy. For starters, you can extend the lights-out policy to other facilties such as monitors, computers, televisions, chargers, and other appliances that are present in the office.
Another effective way to cut back on power is by using renewable energy. For example, you can install solar-powered lights instead of conventional ones. If possible, you can also install solar batteries to power your office equipment and appliances. While these require a little investment in the early stages, it will pay off in both the short and long-term in terms of reduced costs and insurance benefits.
Promote Positive Change
Paper is not just used for documents and official purposes. Activities such as employees using Styrofoam or paper cups to drink coffee, or disposable food cartons are also big source of wastage. The best way to avoid this is to replace these with more sustainable options. This can include a range of equipment that includes (but is not limited to) cloth towel and napkins, multi-use coffee filters, water filters, and washable utensils.
It doesn’t have to be a cut-and-dry affair – you can include your employees in your initiatives. For instance, you can gift your employees reusable mugs and straws. You can also incentivize them for small acts such as brining their own tiffin boxes to work.
