Everyone knows a climate-conscious individual in the office – that colleague committed to reducing their carbon footprint and inspiring others. The pandemic created even more of them. People who became used to having control of the thermostat and being masters of their own (smaller) domain at home are now looking to have that same sense of agency in the workplace.
Why not leverage these passionate individuals? Harnessing them can drive your organisation’s sustainability efforts and create a Green Team that sparks real change.
Knowledge Transfer
Before we dive into how leveraging these individuals can benefit your organisation, we first need to understand the concept of knowledge transfer.
In sustainability, knowledge transfers occur when individuals seek to change their work environment by bringing their personal sustainable practices to work, even if it’s not part of their job.
Conversely, individuals also take the good practices developed in the working environment back home. In summary, transfers are made from home to work and vice versa.
From the home to the office
A lot of at-home sustainability practices can be easily applied to the office space. For example, ensuring that lights are switched off when there is no one in the room, adjusting the thermostat to be more energy efficient and organising a recycling system.
People are also increasingly encouraged by their home energy providers to save energy, much like Octopus Energy’s ‘Saving Sessions’, which encourages users to shift electricity usage away from peak times.
Given the opportunity, these climate-conscious individuals would gladly implement such practices in the office.
However, they need organisational support. Organising the recycling system of an entire building or maintaining the thermal comfort of multiple people cannot be done by a single individual. Effective change requires coordinated efforts and resources. Creating a supportive environment not only drives sustainability but also boosts employee satisfaction and motivation by aligning with their interests and values.
From the office to the home
On the other hand, fostering sustainable behaviours at work can inspire employees to adopt these habits at home. This not only reinforces workplace practices but also broadens the impact of your sustainability programs.
• Habit Reinforcement: As employees embrace sustainability habits at work, these behaviours become more ingrained and prevalent at home.
• Ripple effect: Encouragingly, studies show that by applying sustainable behaviours at home, employees can increase their own savings (and hence your program’s overall impact) by a further 10%.
These benefits not only boost workplace change but also position your company as a leader in environmental impact.
Next steps
So how can you leverage these passionate individuals? Moreover, how can you find and support them to turn your company into a change hub?
1. Spot an eco-champion
Look for employees who are vocal about sustainability and actively practising eco-friendly habits, like using reusable bottles or biking to work.
2. Create a safe space to grow
Establish a Green Team or suggestion box to encourage eco-warriors to share ideas and collaborate.
3. Provide management alignment and sufficient resources
Ensure management is aligned and provide the necessary resources – time, budget, and authority – to empower the Green Team. They need adequate and dedicated time to meet up and a budget to carry out their actions.
With climate change being increasingly top of mind, there is great potential for your company to leverage passionate individuals who want to make an impact. You simply need to provide them with the resources and space to act.
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