Simple Steps To Make An Office Environmentally-Friendly

 

Research shows that employees would much rather their employer prioritized simple things like air quality levels and giving them a view of the outside instead of an on-site gym or other perks that they may not use. One way to improve air quality is by removing common allergens that can make employees feel unwell. Air fresheners can be a cause of this as they contain lots of different chemicals. Replacing them with fresh flowers or candles made with soy wax and essential oils is an easy way to keep the office smelling fresh without affecting air quality. Keeping air vents open and clean will also help to keep the air fresh, along with opening windows regularly — but make sure no one is allowed to smoke near them.

 

 

Single-use products are a huge part of the waste that ends up in landfills each year, so finding ways to switch these for more sustainable items can make a big difference. Encourage employees to bring their own lunch into work to avoid buying food in single-use plastic, but for those who do buy lunch, ask them to use the office’s metal cutlery rather than single-use ones. Employers can give employees branded reusable coffee cups and water bottles to help them reduce waste while strengthening their brand and getting their logo out there. Switching washing up sponges for compostable sponges or washable cloths also eliminates waste. This all helps to show employees that they work for a company that cares about their employees, as well as the environment. 

 

 

It would be wasteful to replace all items in the office for sustainable and energy-efficient ones unless everything would be donated or sold, but this can be a big task. An easier way to make an office more sustainable is by only buying eco-friendly equipment from now on. Any new electrical gear, whether it’s computers or vacuums, should be energy-efficient and ask employees to turn everything off when they go home to prevent wasting energy. For office essentials, find a supplier that is eco-friendly as they can help with sustainable switches, such as recycled paper and refillable pens, plus they’re likely to send orders in recyclable, plastic-free packaging.

It’s important that employees are made aware of changes that employees are trying to implement and the reasons why to help them get on board with it. After all, if an employee doesn’t know that their new computer is energy efficient, they won’t appreciate the effort the business is making.