Shifting your business to increasingly eco-friendly practices can reap lots of benefits. It can save you money on electricity, reduce your firm’s carbon footprint and even enhance your brand’s image.

Still, don’t assume that the task would be entirely straightforward. It could involve you easing yourself and the rest of your workforce out of deeply ingrained habits. Here are a few tactics you could consider pursuing in your effort to do your bit for the planet.

Leave your office unplugged when you’re not using it :

As your office will only be occupied for about nine hours daily, imagine how much energy you could be wasting by leaving the appliances on standby. Outside work hours, those appliances could be running for 15 hours a day or – shudder – up to 123 hours per week.  

While it won’t be practically possible to switch absolutely everything off come checking-out time, even just unplugging all of the computers can save your firm a fortune on its electricity bill.

Swap out plastic for compostable alternatives :

As you’ve probably gathered from watching nature documentaries, plastic doesn’t naturally disintegrate in the environment, posing a risk to our planet’s ecosystem. However, you could be pleasantly surprised by how many plastic cups and containers you can banish from your office.

Plastic cups, for example, can be jettisoned in favour of reusable bottles, while even cutlery and salad containers are available in compostable form, Talk Business points out. 

Spread the word about going green :

Many of us are very habit-formed in the workplace, and that’s understandable. After all, many of us are in such a rush that we scarcely have time to act on anything other than autopilot. However, you can still work to gradually instil greener habits in your workers. 

Firstly, let them know what they should actually be doing. Impart this information via memos and posters – made from recycled paper, of course – and try to tell your instructions as clearly as possible.

Find creative ways to recycle :

“What about using upcycled furniture to deck out offices?” suggests Rachael Fortune, the Sustainable Lifestyle Awards founder quoted by The Telegraph. “Source vintage or second-hand furniture if you don’t have the desire to put the painting overalls on.”

Alternatively, you could opt for a serviced office, which will come “ready-furnished”, as Startups.co.uk explains. A serviced office space from BE Offices will even include recycling points throughout, enabling your staff to easily recycle the likes of paper and ink cartridges. 

Encourage staff to travel more environmentally-efficiently :

How do many of your staff get to the office and back? If they rely on driving in order to get there for the right time, consider asking if they could pick up a few other staffers on the commuting route. Even employees who take the bus or train could switch to cycling instead. 

Such measures can help your recruits to reduce the polluting effect of their travel arrangements. It’s a great way for you to “green” a workplace even before its staff reach the bricks-and-mortar office!

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