As the baby boomers are starting to retire, more and more younger individuals, a.k.a the millennials, are beginning to over the workforce. Traditional companies are also struggling to hire employees between 20 to 30 years of age as many young entrepreneurs offer fun and competitive workplaces.
Millennials embrace organizations because of different reasons. But your company can be more appealing to young individuals if it considers sustainable business practices that benefit the environment. According to studies, about 76% of millennials are deeply concerned about climate change and how it affects the world. Businesses that prioritize environmentally friendly methods can attract more proactive employees, regardless of their generation.
Here are some ways so your business can start making a difference to help the environment. Consider these factors in building your empire so your company will draw more employees and customers.
Provide free drinking water in the office.
Water is an essential beverage for all workers. If you take the time to look around the office, you will notice that almost all desks have a bottle of water on top of them. But these bottles are non-biodegradable, and they take hundreds of years to decompose.
Indeed, you can provide trash bins for recyclable materials but always think of the golden rule: reduce, reuse, and recycle. And the best way to protect the environment is by minimizing the purchasing of plastics. Encourage your employees to bring their washable cups or tumblers and provide free drinking water in the office. Invest in a water filter and cooler so your employees can get cold water anytime. That way, they won’t need to buy bottles of water every day.
Limit paper use.
Paper waste is common in most businesses. But you can now limit paper use by going paperless. While you might still need to use paper for documentation, you can start creating an environmentally friendly workplace by encouraging your employees to limit paper use.
Be the first person to rely on paperless transactions by using email and by saving soft files. Technically, all transactions that need paper can now be performed electronically. Besides, online communication is so much better and convenient than writing a letter on paper.
Use LED lights.
Have you noticed how the choices for light bulbs have become quite complicated these days? That’s because governments are not mandating manufacturers to come up with energy-efficient light bulbs.
And the good news is that many light bulb companies offer the best products. LED light bulbs will save you lots of money as it conserves energy. Plus, it protects the environment. So make sure to switch to LED lights now.
Always turn off appliances.
It’s become a common habit of employees to leave their computers on after a day at work. Promote energy savings practices by asking everyone to turn off their computers before leaving and unplugging them as well.
If possible, install some security cameras from smssecurity.com.au to ensure that everyone complies with the policy.
Consider telecommuting.
Millennials are all about comfort and convenience. Young professionals these days can work better when they have flexible schedules and choose when they prefer to work. Allow your employees to explore work from home from time to time and see which work setups they perform best.
You don’t have to start telecommuting in a snap. Do it gradually, ask your employees about their preferences, and listen to their opinions. If at least half of your employees prefer to work from home, you can save money as your bill expenses and office necessities will drop.
Use indoor plants.
Instead of using plastic plants as office decor, why not opt for the real ones? Natural plants are better as they can improve the office’s air quality, plus, they can be aesthetic too. If you don’t have the budget, ask your employees to bring at least one of their home plants and let them decorate their spaces according to their taste.
All plants can help improve indoor air quality. But specific plants like snake plants, rubber plants, and peace lilies are excellent in removing air toxins.
Reduce travel.
Travel plays a pivotal role in a business’s success. To attend meetings, seminars, conferences, and other important events, you need to ride a plane or drive for a long time. But these business travels can be pretty expensive and pretty harmful to the environment as well.
Commit yourself to attend conferences that only offer online meetings via video calls. By doing this, you don’t need to spend thousands of dollars on a plane and car rides, plus you get to help save the environment too.
Saving the environment is work for everybody. It’s not just a responsibility for environment lovers but also for everyone who intends to keep the planet inhabitable. Your minor contributions can make a huge impact, so be sure to always think of ways to help the environment, whether you’re doing business or not.
