How Can You Motivate Employees to Create a More Sustainable Office?

July 17, 2017

Sustainability in the workplace has never been more important. Our world faces real ecological challenges, and though the sheer scale of these may be daunting, simply doing the very best we can could well be enough to make a difference.

Establishing a greener mindset in your office takes work. Though you may try to impress upon your employees just how vital sustainability is to our planet and its future, engaging them enough to actually change their habits is another matter altogether.

To inspire a greener workplace, you – as the leader – have to offer motivation. What forms can this take?

 

 

Offer a Selection of Bonuses

 

Recycling is simple to do, but (sometimes) hard to remember.

Though offices across the United States have recycling schemes in place already, with separate bins for different materials, employees may still find it easier to toss their tin or bottle into a standard bin.

Things are changing, but it’s a slow process. In 1980, 15 million tons of materials were recycled, this had increased to 87.2 million tons in 2013. Businesses today can elevate this higher and higher, just by committing to a more sustainability-focused culture.

Furthermore, it’s equally important to minimize the use of electricity and water, yet just as challenging to integrate into everyday life. Switching lights off when not in use, not leaving faucets to run, and preventing wasted paper should all become standard procedure.

Find ways to stay on top of which employees are making an effort, and provide bonuses on a scale. Gift cards for $20 might be given to those doubling their recycling in the first month, while $50 could be handed to employees who remember to recycle their documents and switch their lights off at the end of the day.

 

Invest in Designer Furniture to Reduce Waste

 

One area in which you can reduce your waste and encourage sustainability? Investing in designer luxurious furniture.

When businesses purchase only mass-produced, poor-quality chairs and tables, they know there’s a chance they may have to buy again in a matter of months or years. When these pieces break, it’s more waste heading to landfill.

Instead, spend a little more on the very best designer chairs, such as that manufactured by Crossford Furniture. These are much more comfortable than cheaper alternatives, last far, far longer, and inject a luxurious aesthetic into your office’s décor.

 

Make it a Competition

 

On a similar note to the first point covered above, make your sustainability into a business-wide competition. Putting teams or departments up against each other, with shared rewards on offer, will encourage workers to do the very best they can.

Promise incentives like paintballing, laser tag, days off, restaurant visits, and more. Not only will this encourage your employees, the activity itself will give them valuable bonding time, strengthening their ability to collaborate and be productive.

The sooner more and more businesses embrace a greener mindset, the more commonplace sustainability will become in the workplace. Be honest with your employees and help them to see just how important a green approach is – ask for their own ideas too!





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