With popularity of sustainability-mindset on the rise, many industries are focusing on enhancing many aspects of their operations in order to draw in a more sustainability-conscious workforce.
Numerous businesses have started the journey of redesigning their workplace strategy to cater to the sustainability paradigm. Are the job seekers reacting favourably to the changes – most likely yes and that is evident in their choice of preferred employers.
Recruitment and sustainability go hand in hand
By some estimates, ages 23 to 38 make up for the most job searchers who support sustainability. In fact, research has shown that respondents are open to leaving their current position to join a company that prioritizes environment, social and governance.
For enterprises, this has two implications. First off, cutting-edge businesses that are committed to making investments in a greener and sustainable future are positioned to attract top talent. Second, by providing eco-friendly incentives to their current workforce, organizations shall find it easier to keep them on board. Increasing productivity while using fewer resources is a priority goal.
Let us examine how we may develop a sustainable workplace:
- Reduce electricity consumption: Saving energy, whether at home or at the office, not only reduces expenses but also benefits the environment. Workplaces are generally big users of power. Cutting back on consumption will benefit the environment in a big way. Organizations must make it part of the culture and communication in order to enhance awareness and action.
- Build eco-friendly workspace: Stressing the usage of plants in the workplace promotes the natural beauty and the feeling of being inter-connected. In addition to clean air, it also offers a change of scenery and thus freshness and perspective. Remember that keeping plants around the office help reduce the carbon footprint.
- Consume more solar power: Solar energy is one of the most environment-friendly sources of electricity. It is renewable and never runs out. Solar energy usage is a good place to start when creating a sustainable workplace. It demonstrates that the company has made efforts in the direction of environment preservation.
- Go paperless: Usually, an organization’s paper consumption takes up a considerable portion of the space, expense and environment impact. This situation harms both the environment and the workplace. Trees are a finite resource and excessive usage has detrimental effects on the ecosystem. The answer to this expanding issue is going digital. Among other benefits, going digital makes it simple to backup important papers. It allows an organization to save time and space, thus assisting in preservation of trees and lowering carbon emissions.
- Promote green commute: Many Companies are motivating staff to cut carbon emissions by using a bicycle or walk to work if they live close by or utilize public transport or carpooling option. Benefits for working remotely have gained traction post pandemic and now being seen as a long- term realistic option. This is among the seminal changes that shall contribute to reducing individual as well as collective carbon impact.
- Conserve Water: Water, being a non-renewable resource, is running out over time. Water usage has increased, creating a threat to the ecological cycle. Water recycling and rainwater collection are two of the most important processes in water conservation. At first glance, it could seem expensive, but in the long run, it is effective and advantageous for the greater good.
- Employee Awareness Campaigns: Make employees fully aware of company efforts to create a well-planned, sustainable workplace. Regular educational campaigns help in evangelizing the sustainability’s principles adopted by the company.
Chief People Officer and COO- Corporate Services, Fincare Small Finance Bank
Is Your Company Sustainable?
Not being sustainable is not a choice anymore. If your company isn’t making the efforts, that could be a reason why it isn’t attracting the best talent.
Establishing environment-friendly workplace may not be the cure-all but it is a good place to check. Not only does it benefit the organization, it also benefits our environment, our colleagues and our community. Win-win-win!