Recycling bins in the break room and copy room? Check. Water cooler installed to cut down on bottled water consumption? Check. Recycled paper for internal copying and printing? Check.
So what else can you do to maintain a greener workplace? Plenty.
400+ pages of state-specific, easy-read reference materials at your fingertips—fully updated! Check out the Guide to Employment Law for California Employers and get up to speed on everything you need to know.
Here are some tips for how to create, and maintain, a greener workplace—and how to get your employees on board to do their part for the environment:
- Create a Company Green Team: New ways to be environmentally responsible are popping up every day. Ask employees and managers to be part of a company “green team” charged with coming up with, and costing, how your company can do its part to save the planet while saving money too.
- Investigate Alternative Transportation Options: Make your new green team’s first assignment to find out how company employees can tackle the daily commute using less fossil fuel. Educate employees about alternative transportation options, and if possible, help coordinate a company car-pool program. Especially in this tight economy, employees can save a few much needed dollars by hitting the gas pump less, and everyone will feel good about doing their part to reduce pollution.
- Cut Out Unnecessary Paper Use: Whether it’s the paper plates and cups set out for potlucks and birthday celebrations, or those antiquated printed weekly status reports that no one reads, taking time to evaluate where you can cut down on paper consumption will help the planet as well as your bottom line. Also consider what can be done to create an electronic work-flow plan, including scanning documents for electronic circulation, company e-newsletters, and electronic time-keeping.
- Use Green Cleaning Products: Replacing office cleaning chemicals with green products is a small, but easy, step that can help reduce your company’s carbon footprint. An even better step is to lobby the janitorial company your office (or office building) uses to go green as well.
- Invest in e-Marketing Solutions: Swap those old printed brochures and catalogs for e-marketing materials, which can be sent or accessed electronically. Train your sales employees to plug your company’s green solutions as an added advantage you have over your competitors.
In tough times, it can be easy to forget to be innovative in favor of just keeping your head above water. Getting a company go-green plan is a great way to rally your employees behind a good cause, cut costs, and to set your company apart from all the others out there that are stuck treading water—which will help make sure the planet and your company are around for a long time to come.