Threats due to climate change are the reality we must not ignore. As business owners and entrepreneurs, we have the bigger responsibility to spread environmental awareness and create workspaces that support what we preach. Most definitely, we all need to do our part in combatting this danger. At a personal level, we all must make environmentally friendly choices but at the organizational level, business owners and CEOs need to make significant changes for a much greener and healthy atmosphere. Let’s see how we can enhance the workplace environment to keep it healthier:
Adding plants in your workplace will instantly improve the overall ambiance of the space. Plant decoration beautifies the rooms and provides fresh air to breathe and a healthier environment. Certain plants can decrease the temperature, which has a naturally cooler effect on the indoors and there is no need for air-conditioning. Plants have an alluring beauty that helps reduce work stress; thus aiding the employees’ mental health. A stress-free environment ensures better performance and productivity. Although eco-friendly choices are individual decisions, organizations can create an environment that encourages employees to make green activities, indoor and outdoor gardens in the offices, sharing detailed insights on why it is important for climate change, etc. These efforts will also affect your company’s image and reputation as an environmentally sustainable organization.
Organizations should encourage recycling more items at the workplace. Avoid trashing on plastic, aluminum, and paper as it is not recommended to dispose of these items. Encourage the efficient use of office resources. You can share useful content (videos, brochures, checklists, etc) with your employees to keep them informed about recycling. Organizations can use incentives as a tool to encourage recycling among employees who tend to ignore it.
Cut Back on Disposable Items
The use of disposable items should be minimum to zero, but it is not possible without consistent efforts. As company owners, you can reduce the purchase of disposable items to a bare minimum. The first step towards such initiative is cutting down on the use of plastic and introducing items that can be reused several times. For instance washable cutlery or stainless steel cups instead of disposable water bottles and cups.
Energy efficiency is important to cut back the electricity cost and enhance the overall atmosphere of the workplace. Replacing the high wattage bulbs with the LED lamps while utilizing the sunlight as the source in the day. Your office architecture must incorporate glass windows, walls, and roofs to utilise natural light. To get the most from the sunlight, you can switch from traditional fuels to solar power.
Innovative integration of a healthy work environment helps you save your hard-earn money and maintain a healthy environment for yourself and your staff. Increasing energy efficiency, cutting on disposal items, increasing recycling, and adding plants in our workplaces are the live-long changes that we all must remain committed to.