However, if your business takes this approach you may not be doing enough. There is a chance that your employees may not take your environmental message to heart and will continue to perform their duties in ways that are counter to your company goals. Further, a good policy should be one that employees want to accept. As such, you should look at ways to encourage employees to not only actively look for ways to help the company meet the environmental challenge, but also find ways to have them adopt similiar measures in their home and personal lives.
One way to do this is to work with your 401(k) provider. Chances are these companies already have portfolios or funds that invest specifically in "green" industries or businesses. These are typically considered "socially aware" funds and by adding this option to the funds you allow your employees to invest in you encourage them to take this challenge seriously. Further, there are many employees out there that want to make a difference, but aren't sure how. If you give them the chance to save for their future while investing in funds that offer a socially responsible portfolio of companies, you increase the chance that your employees will react positively to many of the other environmental practices you're adopting.
There are other ways to help employees jump on the environmental bandwagon. Many organizations offer employees the chance to take a paid work day off once a month so that they can volunteer. Why not take it one step further? Encourage them to devote that paid day off to an environmental cause. There are plenty of employees that like the idea of doing volunteer work but many don't necessarily like the volunteer opportunities out there that qualify under existing company policies. By expanding the portfolio of volunteer opportunities to include environmental causes, such as cleaning up litter, planting trees, or leading tours for children at Botanic Gardens, you will find a lot more employees are eager to volunteer. Not only that, it has the wonderful side-effect of increasing visibility for your own organization. If the public sees one of your employees out volunteering and they are being supported by the company, it tends to cast a great light on your company and the other green activities you're doing.
What about holding a lottery for your employees? Once a year, those that are interested can place their name on the ballot and your company could draw two employees at random. The winners would have the company pay for replacing all of the older light bulbs in their homes with newer and more efficient versions. Alternatively, the company could agree to reimburse them for part of the cost of weatherizing their homes or installing high-efficiency heating and air conditioning. It may seem like a modest amount, but for those that are interested it encourages them to become more efficient at home and at work. If a lottery isn't something that would work, at the very least have your organization consider setting up a grant program for employees that will help them offset some of the cost of greening their homes.
Encourage an ongoing contest for your employees by taking suggestions on ways to improve your company's green policies and give added points to those that find ways that will recycle or reuse existing materials or processes that help save money and the environment. The winner might receive a small bonus and recognition throughout the company as a green leader.
This approach to greening your culture at work starts at the new hire level. Making it clear to potential candidates and new hires that your organization has green policies and that they will be required to adhere to these policies and encourage other green ideas will ensure that you're getting environmentally-minded employees.
Above all, make certain that the steps you take to green your business are seen in the public. Regular communication through press agencies will make the public aware of the fact that you are "giving green" by supporting green policies and companies, or through the "greening" of your I.T. department by buying more energy efficient computer equipment. Most of all, make everyone aware, from the employees in the business to the public at large, that this new green approach to doing business is not only policy, but even the C-Level employees are actively thinking green.
There are certainly other ways to encourage your employees that going green is good for business and the environment. It all starts from within and it takes a committed approach by upper management to steer the company towards a greener future.
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