Going green in the workplace can help reduce waste, cut costs and boost employee health and productivity. A few simple tasks can go a long way toward achieving these benefits.

Nearly 70 percent of U.S. workplaces have “green” programs in place today, up from 53 percent last year, according to a new survey by Buck Consultants, a Xerox company.

The benefits of an eco-efficient workplace are extensive: Employers with formal green workplace programs in place have reported cost savings and improved employee morale. Among 100 organizations in manufacturing, health care and financial services, key drivers of eco-friendly programs include: cost savings (78 percent), the creation of community goodwill (58 percent) and employee morale (56 percent).

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Courtesy of Xerox Corporation

Leadership was determined to be a critical factor for success in green workforce initiatives. Buck Consultants found that 88 percent of employers with green programs include the CEO in development and communications, while 91 percent of respondents appoint a dedicated leader for their green efforts.

One of the first steps in leading a green initiative is communicating the company’s green-workplace goals and policy. HR solutions firm Adecco Group reports that although 69 percent of employed adults know their company has an environmental policy, only 32 percent know what that policy means.

Beyond policy, here are three relatively easy ways to “green” the workplace.

• Use the Right Light: On average, the commercial sector uses about 60 percent of its electricity for lighting. If you have leeway with the layout of your office, consider setting desks and conference rooms near windows to optimize natural light. Wherever possible, replace incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent lamps, as these cost about 75 percent less to operate and last about 10 times longer. Don’t miss the most obvious measure: Shut off lights in unoccupied rooms and before you go home.
• Minimize the Paper Trail: “The less paper you use, the less you use the printer and the less energy — like car fuel — you have to spend getting paper and printer supplies,” Trent Hamm, author of finance blog The Simple Dollar, writes at American Express OPEN Forum. To cut down on paper, encourage sending documents and materials online. Minimize printing and faxing, and try implementing digital storage solutions. Also, consider content management systems that allow you to pay bills or view contracts online. The American Forest & Paper Association provides a guide on how to effectively recycle in the workplace.
• Use Tech the Right Way: Technology can also be used to reduce commuting resources. Consider scheduling conference calls or videoconferencing in lieu of traveling. Use your computer as a fax machine — all you need is a printer and a scanner — and invest in efficient powerstrips for your electronic devices like the coffee pot in the breakroom. Set your computer to “sleep” mode when you are not using it, and turn off all office equipment (including lights) at the end of every workday and before weekends. The U.S. Department of Energy’s Energy Savers blog recommends converting to laptop computers that use less power than desktop computers and to share appliances. As your employer purchases new tech items for workers, ensure that they are Energy Star-qualified or recycled.

“Green team initiatives can range from grassroot efforts that focus on ways to improve internal operations, to more formalized programs and the development of policies and environmental management systems that provide a framework to measure progress, assess impacts and continually improve results,” according to Earth Share, a national nonprofit that’s worked for more than 20 years to inform people and organizations about effective ways to support environmental issues.

Where can you cut waste in your daily work environment? Let us know in the comments section below.

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Resources

…More U.S. Employers Measuring Cost Savings Stemming From Environmental Efforts
Buck Consultants, April 11, 2011

Fifty-three percent of U.S. Employers Deploy Green Programs in the Workplace
Buck Consultants, April 21, 2010

Are American Workers Going “Green”?
Adecco, April 10, 2007

Secondary Energy Infobook: Energy Consumption
The NEED Project

Sustainable Design Inspiration at Work
Energy Savers (U.S. Department of Energy), April 5, 2011

Ten Ways to Easily Reduce Small Business Energy Bills
by Trent Hamm
American Express OPEN Forum, Sept. 23, 2009

Recycling in the Workplace
American Forest & Paper Association

Greening Business
EarthShare