There are obvious benefits to putting forth a green face for your business. Modern consumers love supporting brands that care about the environment, so by seeming eco-friendly, you can attract more (and more loyal) customers, which means bigger profits and more success.
However, for many businesses, there is a substantial difference between looking green and being green. Actually adopting eco-friendly practices seems difficult and unrewarding, so plenty of businesses choose to “greenify” their brands while their employees and offices remain as wasteful as ever.
The truth is there are calculable benefits of transitioning to greener work practices. Encouraging your employees to develop green habits like recycling, ride sharing, or reducing disposable packaging provides direct advantages for your business, including all of the following.
Being Green Saves Money on Essential Resources
You can invest in more energy-efficient devices and appliances, such as the refrigerator in the break room or the office copy machine. Gadgets marked with the Energy Star label have saved consumers more than $360 billion on utility bills since the EPA began the program in 1992, and you can enjoy a portion of those savings without asking anything from your employees.
However, companies that enforce green practices have the opportunity to save even more. Requiring employees to power down devices, turn off lights, and generally use less energy around the office reduces expenditures regardless of the efficiency of your appliances.
Employees, too, can do more with their paychecks when they live by green guidelines. By practicing green strategies in the workplace, they will be more likely to carry green habits into their homes, saving them money on monthly utilities.
Additionally, carpooling can save the average worker about $600 per month, and opting out of car ownership altogether—choosing instead to participate in a ride-sharing or car-sharing program like RideCell—can save your employees thousands of dollars per month on insurance, gas, and maintenance, making your workers happier and more eager to get to work.
Being Green Improves Staff Productivity
According to a study from UCLA, companies with green standards see a 16 percent rise in employee productivity, which means not only will you save money by being green, but you’ll make more money as well. There are many potential reasons for this:
- Using green products reduces employee exposure to allergens, toxins, and harmful chemicals, reducing the likelihood of illness.
- Working within green standards presents a challenge that drives employees’ need to solve problems, helping them to find more efficient solutions throughout their work.
- Promoting green practices aligns with employees’ personal ideals, improving their opinion of their employer and motivating them to work harder for the cause.
Regardless of why your workforce feels motivated, you will probably see more, higher-quality work after you devote your business to true sustainability.
Being Green Attracts Better Workers
You want the best possible employees, but excellent applicants know they can be selective about their employers. When salary and benefits are equal, most outstanding workers devote themselves to companies that share their principles, so they can feel good when they go to work.
You can begin attracting the best possible talent to your open positions by cultivating a green work environment.
Being Green Enhances Staff Relationships
Transforming your business from one that seems green to one that is green requires plenty of communication, which will help to bring your employees closer together.
For one, they will be working as a team toward a common goal that is objectively honorable: saving the environment. For another, they will spend ample time interacting in unusual ways.
For example, by carpooling or ride-sharing, employees will have more off-work time to learn more about one another and develop friendships. The more your workers know and like each other, the more enthusiasm you will see in your workplace.
Being Green Develops Brand Honesty
Your brand might already seem wholesome and sustainable, but unless you deliver on your brand promises with truly green practices throughout your business, you are risking a significant scandal and loss of consumer loyalty. Honest brands not only earn their customers’ trust, they manage to keep it through positive actions that uphold their brand messages.
When you make green claims, you must make sure your entire business can back them up ― which means your employees must be aware of and active in maintaining the brand’s green identity.
Jackie Roberson is a content coordinator and contributor who creates quality articles for topics like technology, home life, and education. She studied business management and is continually building positive relationships with other publishers and the Internet community.
