Provide Employee Incentives

Incentivizing climate-friendly behaviors in the workplace is a great way to keep your employees engaged and productive while reducing the environmental footprint and energy costs for the company. Many companies provide health care benefits; why not provide green benefits to encourage healthy lifestyles?  Here are a few ways to reduce the footprint of your business and improve our planet.

Cycle/walk to work incentives: A cycle-to-work incentive plan is easy to start. Perhaps offer to pay up to a certain amount for commuting expenses when employees take the bus, walk, or bike. Offering discounted bus passes or asking a local cycling or running shop to provide discounts on biking and walking gear is a great way to encourage your employees to be healthier and reduce their environmental footprint. 

Team incentives in the workplace: Team-focused incentives or competitions in the workplace can be drivers for employees to reduce their environmental footprint by reducing waste, recycling more, or saving energy. Recognize the team or individual that can help reduce the environmental footprint the most. Competitions between teams can be created to see which department can be the most creative in educating employees to print less, dim lights and screens more, and produce less waste.  

Make being green part of the company culture: Before employees can implement environmentally friendly choices, make sure you are clear about how their energy and resource choices affect company costs and the environment. Share statistics about the company’s environmental footprint, including energy efficiency, paper and water consumption, and recycling. Then, working with other leaders or perhaps a green team, create long-term goals that the company would like to reach. Involve employees by asking for their recommendations on how to reduce trash or cut energy consumption.

These green incentives will help your business achieve environmental goals, as well as give your employees a chance to work as a team with group and individual incentives. The benefits of going green will also go beyond the workplace, hopefully helping your employees lead greener and healthier lifestyles at home.