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If you’re looking for ways to make your company eco-friendlier, it all starts with your employees. Whether you want to cut down on overall waste, or you’d like to implement better recycling practices, there are numerous tactics you can implement to encourage your employees to be more eco-conscious as a whole. How can you get started improving the eco-consciousness around your office? Take a look below for a few helpful tips.

Cut Down on Resources

Anything you can do to reduce the amount of waste in your company’s trash cans will encourage your employees to be more eco-friendly. If you currently use straws or Styrofoam coffee cups in your break room, get rid of them. You can also cut down on paper usage by shifting toward a heavier reliance on electronic communications. If you can improve processes and go paperless, even better! Try implementing an incentivized recycling program in which you divide your employees into teams. Encourage employees to toss recyclable items in team-designated bins around the office, and have team members collect and weigh recycling each day. At the end of the month, you can deliver a prize to the team with the most collected recycling. 

Reduce Car Dependence

One of the most effective and appreciated eco-conscious practices is implementing a remote work policy. Of course, your company doesn’t have to go fully remote, even implementing a few telecommuting days per week can drastically cut down on environmental fuel emissions. Moreover, telecommuting can have a lot of pros beyond taking cars off the road. Remote workers tend to be significantly more productive than their office counterparts, and according to many remote employees, telecommuting also improves their morale and work quality.

Implement Natural Lighting

Encouraging your employees to be more eco-conscious can be as simple as turning down the lights. If your office has plenty of windows, your employees may actually prefer to work in natural lighting. The blue light spectrum that electronics emit can contribute to headaches and eye strain, which can cut down on employee productivity. By turning off the lights, you not only encourage an eco-friendly environment, but you may also contribute to increased employee output. If turning down the lights during working hours isn’t feasible, you can still implement environmentally friendly practices by turning off all the lights and electronics at the end of the workday. Make sure you notify employees of your new policy and encourage them to shut down all electronic devices before leaving their desks for the day.

Creating a company that is more eco-friendly isn’t difficult; it just takes diligence and consistency. As a leader, it’s your job to set the example for your employees. Make sure you’re implementing eco-consciousness in your own day-to-day practices, and your employees are sure to follow suit.

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