Going green at work is good for business!

Creating an eco-friendly office isn’t just about caring for the environment. It’s good for business too! Here’s how going green at work makes good business sense.

The concept of a green office is not new, and yet, many organisations have not taken action to make sustainability a part of their workplace culture. Can you say, hand on heart, that your organisation has embraced this meaningfully?

What is a green office?

You’ve heard the term bandied about, but what does it really mean? Printing double-sided and giving everyone a plant for their desk? Well, that’s a start, but that doesn’t even scratch the surface.

Having a green office means creating an environmentally responsible workplace: considering, and potentially revising, current work practices with a view to reducing waste wherever possible. The definition given by the SHRM is a workplace that is environmentally sensitive, resource efficient, and socially responsible.

As you’d expect, going green at your workplace includes reviewing areas like energy and water consumption, paper usage, recycling, travel (to name just a few). But more than that, it’s about educating employees and leadership alike, and creating lasting cultural and behavioural change.

Of course, the environmental benefits of implementing green work practices are obvious and important. Reducing your carbon footprint as a business is essential, no matter which sector you’re in.

But sustainability in business is not purely altruistic.

Going green has several important benefits that are worth considering. These impacts, such as improved consumer brand and increased shareholder value, can create real benefit for businesses. Office sustainability initiatives often have a high return on investment – saving operational costs, as well as improving employee productivity.

Here are our top five reasons to go green at work:

1. Improved employee attraction

Many candidates have stated that they are drawn to companies with sustainable work practices.  This is particularly true for Millennials. This group is said to be more interested in working for companies that are compassionate, innovative and sustainable. This article reports that over 40% of this group would even take a pay cut to do so! A quarter of Gen X respondents said the same.

A study by the Society for Human Resource Management found that 94% of Millennials want to use their skills to benefit a cause. Similarly, this survey found that 63% of Millennials felt that the primary purpose of businesses should be related to “improving society” in favour of generating profit alone. 

Whilst this isn’t specific to Millennials, it is certainly more pronounced. This coupled with the fact that this group is set to represent 75% of the workforce by 2025, they will have the power to vote with their feet. Setting a solid moral and social foundation is something all businesses need to adopt, or risk being left behind in the war for talent.

2. Improved employee engagement

Studies have also shown that employee engagement and retention are also linked to a sense of purpose. Employees are more likely to feel a strong emotional connection to their workplaces if they feel the organisation is contributing to social, environmental and moral obligations.

In fact, employees are twice as likely to work for an organisation that balances financial performance with empathy in their decision making, as this Mercer report found.

Creating working groups and committees in your office also fosters a greater sense of community which can also contribute to higher employee engagement. Why not create a green team today! Ask us how.

3. Improved employee productivity

It is widely known that engaged employees are at their most productive, and more likely to expend discretionary effort in their jobs. A sustainable workplace is also said to increase workforce productivity.

This study showed a significant increase in general productivity for employees working in a green office scenario. Some other indicators such as a “dramatic reductions in sick leave and turnover” were also apparent. Now those stats are worth listening to.

4. Build a stronger consumer brand 

Consumers want to put their money where they values are, increasingly saying they want brands to embrace purpose and sustainability.

A global study found that 63% of consumers want to buy from purpose-driven brands that reflect their own values. Additionally, 62% want companies to take a stand on the social, cultural, environmental, and political issues that they care about the most. The results also showed that a majority are drawn to brands focused on reducing plastics and improving the environment.

This sentiment appears to be consistent across the generations, albeit to varying degrees, so it has a wide-reaching impact.

5. Business success and longevity

Businesses that embrace sustainability efforts have been shown to be more resilient, particularly in the face of COVID-19. It is said that by becoming aware of the business impacts on social and environmental aspects, they are able to respond more quickly and effectively when issues arise. Business that become more adaptive to change will experience greater business success long term.

As this article states, “A business that doesn't factor in sustainability risks being less successful in a number of measures, including profitability".

The post-COVID sustainability agenda

Despite COVID-19 forcing the Sustainability discussion to take an apparent backwards step, it is important that it remains a focus for all businesses.

A recent survey of CEOs indicated that 28% of respondents believed that budgets and people dedicated to sustainability would increase. An additional 36% believed that the budgets would stay the same. These are encouraging findings showing that now “sustainability is just as important as it ever was, if not more so.”

Reap the benefits

With this heartening view of sustainability in a post-COVID world, retaining a focus on sustainability remains essential. There are still many businesses that are yet to adopt this approach. Ensure your organisation is ahead of the curve by going green at work and reap all the associated benefits.

So, let’s get started! What can you do today to get sustainable initiatives on the agenda at your workplace?

Contact Bright Green for a free initial consultation and to find out how we can help. We’d love to hear from you.

Have you seen our Tree-Friendly checklist on reducing paper usage in the office? Download here.

What can you do today start creating a green workplace?