How To Create An Energy Efficient Workplace

The journey to net zero is a long one. With various obstacles in the way and major changes required, the goal is big but certainly not impossible. 

For businesses looking to improve their approach to energy efficiency, cut energy costs, and become a more sustainable business, having everyone on board is absolutely essential. Although the steps your team can take are only a small drop in the ocean, they will certainly help to make a difference.

What is an energy-saving culture?

An energy-saving culture is the idea that you can create an environment which encourages team members to embrace small changes in order to reduce your company’s carbon footprint. An energy-saving culture isn’t exclusive to office environments, and can certainly be created in just about any industry. From hospitality to care organisations, small businesses, and industrial workplace. Simply introducing small changes and encouraging positive behaviours will contribute to the existence of an energy-saving culture, thus improving your sustainability and helping your business on the path to net zero emissions.

Tips to ensure energy efficiency across your business

Whether you own a small business or run a large-scale operation, energy efficiency will play a crucial role throughout your business over the next decade. In order to achieve net zero emissions, creating an energy saving culture will ensure all teams and departments, no matter how big or small, are responsible for changes in your business to guarantee you are moving in the right direction. Forward, towards a greener future. 

Below are 6 tips that will help you in creating a positive outlook towards energy efficiency and saving energy across your business.

1 – Communicate your sustainability goals with your colleagues and employees 

The first step to creating a successful energy-saving culture is to communicate and involve your employees in the planning process. Making sure they are involved in all aspects of your plans will guarantee higher levels of participation. Which, in turn, will create a greater sense of ownership and responsibility from all your employees, no matter their position in the business. 

2 – Address key barriers to overcome

No business is perfect, so it is important to acknowledge any barriers or challenges you may have to face and overcome in order to improve your approach towards energy efficiency. This may be as simple as considering areas in your business premises that require updating or challenging negative behaviours regarding energy efficiency. 

3 – Establish energy-saving policies within the workplace 

Once you and your team understand the shared goal, you can plan policies together that will be put in place throughout the company. This could be one core policy or several smaller policies that differ depending on where in the company or on the premises the rules apply best. For example, in an industrial setting, office workers and warehouse staff will have different actions to complete and targets to achieve. 

4 – Assign team leaders to oversee and implement changes 

Appointing specific people in your company (if you have a higher number of employees) will help you manage and oversee the implementation of these new policies. These ‘energy champions’, as you may wish to call them, can carry out additional tasks like checking in on team members, ensuring policies are adhered to, and any concerns are raised with higher management. For smaller businesses, this may not be necessary, but having someone to oversee the implementation of energy-saving best practices and policies will help to maintain a positive approach. 

5 – Continually review your policies and improve these accordingly 

it is always best to review your new energy-saving policies from time to time. If you are not noticing the progress you expected, it may be time to realign your strategy and introduce new actions or approaches to help ensure you are on the right track for achieving your sustainability goals. 

6 – Award your teams for their efforts 

Over time you will start to see changes, even from small actions like switching off older appliances or upgrading your office lighting to LED bulbs. As you begin to see this progress and your teams embrace the energy-saving culture, you should reward your team for their efforts. This could be as simple as reinvesting the money you save into improving your workplace environment or granting staff bonuses, and gift vouchers. 

For more tips on how to save your business energy and cut your business energy costs, keep reading here.