There is certainly a green revolution happening across Australia right now. Individuals and businesses alike are trying to make changes for the good of the environment. Corporate Australia is a significant contributor to carbon emissions and other environmental issues and, therefore, must do its part to be more sustainable.

As a result, a few sustainability trends are taking place in offices today. From small gestures to large undertakings, here are some of the changes your business could consider in its quest to join the green office revolution.

Eco-friendly cleaning

You might think that commercial cleaning companies have no choice but to use harmful chemicals while cleaning larger spaces. But just because your office space is big, that doesn’t mean your cleaning efforts need to harm the environment. Most commercial cleaning companies now embrace eco-friendly cleaning solutions and are more than happy to give you details of their products.

If you want to reduce your carbon footprint, start with your cleaning company. If they don’t do things in an environmentally friendly way with safe products, look elsewhere. In addition, ensure you buy eco-friendly cleaning products for staff members to use throughout the day.

Rethinking the working environment

Many companies are completely rethinking the way they structure their workforces. Since Covid and the rise of remote working, many businesses have decided to scale down their office space to save money on rent. You can decrease rent costs considerably by allowing people to work from home or setting up a series of co-working spaces or smaller offices. Allowing people to work from home or setting up smaller offices not only cuts costs but is also good for the environment.

When you embrace hybrid workplaces, you can work from a smaller office, which reduces energy consumption. Fewer people commute to and from work and use resources in a large commercial office. Downsizing is a sustainability trend, but it has excellent financial incentives, too.

Green awards

Some modern sustainability trends are driven by management or long-term sustainability goals. However, there are plenty of green initiatives in the office that anybody can participate in. If you want to make your office more eco-friendly, your staff members are the best people to involve. They work in the environment every day and likely have some great ideas for making the office more green.

You could also consider starting a Green Awards program. This can be structured any way you want; an idea could be to ask for sustainability ideas and award a prize each month for the best green initiative. There are countless ways to encourage staff involvement, so develop something that suits your unique workplace.

Efficient lighting

Lighting is always a big item when it comes to fast, practical changes that can instantly reduce an office’s carbon footprint. Many office buildings have outdated lighting that uses too much energy and isn’t conducive to a healthy working environment. Companies can easily score some sustainability wins by replacing all lights with energy-efficient LED lighting. You’ll use less energy, which is great for the environment and your balance sheet.

In addition, don’t forget about the cheapest lighting option of all–natural light. While it may not illuminate every nook and cranny, depending on your office layout, harnessing natural light is an excellent way to minimise energy expenses. Beyond the economic benefits, natural light contributes positively to the health and well-being of employees, so take advantage of it wherever possible.

Recycling programs

If you work in a large commercial building with several other business tenants, your building manager likely already has recycling programs up and running. If not, however, your office could take things into its own hands. Recycling programs in offices are becoming more popular than ever, whether it’s a basic program to ensure staff members recycle as much as possible or something a lot more involved.

For example, if you work in a state with a ‘cash for cans’ recycling program or similar, why not jump on board as a workplace? If everybody recycles their cans, a nominated person could go and exchange them for cash each month. Use the cash for office drinks or towards a social fund of some kind. Any way that you can make recycling fun, we suggest you go for it.

Salexo is your trusted partner for sales industry recruitment and HR. If you want some advice on making your office more sustainable, we’d love to hear from you.