7 steps to Create an Environmentally Friendly Workplace

7 steps to Create an Environmentally Friendly Workplace

Environmental measures have been a hot topic in the world of business over the last couple of years. Interestingly enough, the forces behind this trend go way beyond the companies pursuing good headlines and devising compelling brands. Eco-friendly policies have been proven to have a positive impact. Both on the companies who have implemented them and on their employees.

So, let’s take a quick look at some of the measures you can take. To make your workplace more environmentally friendly and how they can benefit your business.

Install CFL lighting

Although the energy consumption made by the traditional incandescent lights may seem menial in the grand scheme of environmental topics, their combined annual numbers paint a very grim picture. By switching to more compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs, you won’t only get a light source that’s far easier on the eyes, your consumption will be cut by 25%-80%. They also last 3-25 times longer than incandescent bulbs, which more than compensates for the costs of the up-front investment.

Go paperless

Physical documents certainly have their share of advantages. However, they are quickly becoming obsolete. For instance, cloud technologies (Google Documents, OneDrive, etc.) are making collaboration much easier than paper documents could ever have. Providing the employees’ access from any PC or smart device. Furthermore, you get the ability to scale your services, effortless disaster recovery. What’s most important for this topic, elimination of paper as a communication medium.

Ensure your assets

Any long-term environmental policy can’t be imagined without insurance. Essentially, insurance is there to back up your development plans and allow you to replace your assets in the case of disaster. But, insurance works only if your premiums are able to produce sufficient coverage. Otherwise, any kind of mishap may put your business to a halt. That is why, before you start making insurance plans, you should do a professional building insurance valuation and see where exactly you stand. Do this for the rest of the assets as well.

Optimise energy consumption

CFLs are only one of the numerous ways you can reduce the amount of energy your company wastes each month. Other ways to approach this issue would be to allow more natural light into the offices. To reduce the number of bulbs’ operating hours and set your equipment to hibernate after a short period of inactivity. Furthermore, your employees should handle the equipment in a responsible manner and shut it down at the end of their shift. This kind of practice can be easily enforced through automation and written procedures.

Supply your business with green products

Your environmental measures should not be restrained to only to your company. If you want to make a true change. You should support the businesses and manufacturers that share your set of values.  Therefore, you should resupply your business only with the eco-friendly products bought from the suppliers that are enforcing similar policies as you. Also, you can do a great deal of good if you support local organic food manufacturers. Who traditionally have a problem competing with large supply chains.

Insulate your premises

Insulating a commercial property definitely sets a series of challenges in front of the business owner. The upfront price of such projects tends to be rather high, while scaffolding and contractors can disrupt the business’s daily operations. However, at the end of this ordeal, you will get a place of business that strengthens your green credentials, reduces CO2 emissions, and provides your employees with a pleasant work environment regardless of the time of the year. If you are running a walk-in business, this project can contribute to good customer relations.

Green up your offices

Indoor plants have a very positive influence on employees’ satisfaction. They are green, they are vibrant, and they are able to reduce the feeling of separation from the outside world that crawls under the workers’ skin after too many hours spent indoors. It is interesting, though, that some plants like English Ivy, Spider Plant, Peace Lily, and Chinese Evergreen are able to clean the air from benzene, ammonia, carbon monoxide, and other dangerous pollutants. Since they improve employees’ well-being in more than one way, these plants should become a part of your regular indoor setup.

These six measures should help your business reinforce its environmental policy and do something important for the community, all while improving its day to day operations. The corporate world is often ruthless. These kinds of developments, though, prove that the business can be conducted to benefit everyone involved.