Enhance Well-Being At Work By Going Green: 5 Low-Cost Actions To Get Started
Going green has many benefits, and some of those benefits result in making work a healthier and more pleasant place, thereby increasing productivity and retention, and reducing absenteeism. 'Going green' in this instance can range from adding plants to having better ventilation to having a workplace built with chemical-free materials.
Many studies and articles show that productivity is enhanced in a workplace environment that is more eco-friendly and environmentally sustainable. For instance:
According to a Global Impact of Biophilic Design in the Workplace study, individuals who worked in places with natural elements reported 15% higher levels of overall wellbeing.
A Forbes article highlights the fact that a green workplace enhances productivity by over 15% and reduces sickness-related absenteeism by as much as 30%.
The World Green Building Council reports an increase of 11% in productivity from improved ventilation, 18% productivity improvement from access to daylight and openable windows, and up to 23% increased productivity from well-designed lighting.
With the above stats in mind, and of course being mindful of your budget, below are five relatively low-cost actions you can take in your organization to enhance the space for yourself and your colleagues:
1. Optimize natural light: Did you know that windows are a top determinant of satisfaction in a building? Natural lighting boosts mood, energy levels and hormonal balance. If the workplace is configured such that desks are far from the windows, think of ways to restructure that so that more desks are closer to natural light. If you have shades and they are down most of the time, put them up and let the light in, and turn down or turn off the artificial lights.
2. Check – and change - your light bulbs: Many workplaces have dim or harsh lighting, either as a design element or the building is old and lighting is an afterthought. Both dim lighting and harsh lighting can strain eyes and cause headaches. Lamps are a great way to provide indirect lighting and reduce glare. You can also replace overhead lights with ‘daylight’ bulbs which mimic natural lighting. Take stock of the current lighting and figure out ways you can mimic natural light.
3. Add some plants: Plants in the workplace can help reduce stress, among other things. One study found that plants added to the workplace reduced tension and anxiety by 37% , fatigue by 38% , and depression by 58%. Plants also provide another mechanism to increase productivity and reduce sickness and absenteeism, and studies have also shown that having a plant within eyesight can boost creativity by 15%.
4. Provide a water cooler or filtered water: It’s very easy to forget to drink water, or to replace it with coffee or tea throughout the day when we are in work mode. In order to encourage colleagues to hydrate, which increases attention, reduces fatigue and helps prevent headaches, access to clean drinking water should be free, easy and plentiful. The Institute of Medicine has found that 75% of Americans don’t drink enough water. According to some, a 1% dehydration decreases productivity by 12%, and 3-5% decreases productivity by up to 25%. So, make water easy to access, and be sure to educate your colleagues about the benefits of drinking water.
5. Identify ways to increase comfort:The overall office temperature may not suit all of your colleagues. In addition, air flow may not be adequate in quality or volume for staff to be comfortable. Occupant comfort is key in any office to ensure well-being and productivity. If you’re not sure how your colleagues feel, send out a survey and ask them whether the temp and air flow work for them. While you will get varying answers, you will likely find an average, which will provide you a yardstick by which to take action.
These are a starting point, and if your organization has the budget and has taken these actions, there are plenty of other ways to go green and be more environmentally sustainability while enhancing staff well-being. These range from offering healthy snacks to having an open area with greenery to take a break or eat lunch in, to ensuring that the cleaning crew cleans with eco-friendly products, to making any retrofit or building-related project chemical-free.
If you are looking at ways to go green and would like some ideas, be sure to check out and download our free sustainability checklist.