With the end of lockdown, many businesses have moved to a hybrid working model in which employees can work remotely. While this is great for reducing emissions from large office blocks or commuting, it does increase energy bills at home—especially this winter. Don’t overlook supporting your employees if they may be impacted by this increased cost!
Hybrid working is a method of employment in which employees regularly split their time between working from home (usually) and the workplace. Hybrid or flexible working arrangements have many benefits, including reduced overhead costs and a larger pool of potential employees. People, no longer bound to a place that doesn’t suit them, can avoid unnecessary commuting by working remotely. Some people enjoy the flexibility of working remotely. Others prefer to keep their work life separate from home and commute in, hail a taxi or use public transportation. In response, "hybrid workers" combine elements of both approaches by spending some days at an office and other days working from another location—such as a coworking space within walking distance to their home or apartment building
Many workers have benefited from hybrid working arrangements, which allow them to balance their work and personal lives better. However, there are also challenges associated with working from home, such as higher energy bills and greater difficulty collaborating—as well as the stigma of mental health care. Remote workers have the freedom to set up their workspace any way they want, but some may not be able to work at home due to lack of suitable conditions. Because of these reasons, offices that provide a quiet space or place to change scenery are helpful. Offering flexible working arrangements will help attract the best talent.
One of the benefits of desk sharing is that it reduces costs for employers. If you rent an office space (or have downsized your own workplace), employee desk sharing can help save space. Employers also save on other expenses such as rent, utilities, cleaning supplies and coffee or lunch costs. No matter where your employees work—at home or in an office—there are many ways you can encourage them to embrace energy efficiency and sustainability. To reduce your remote worker’s carbon footprint and lower energy bills, suggest a range of measures including:
companies can incentivise employees without increasing costs.
Reminding them to turn off lights or unplug their computer when they finish may seem like small steps, but if everyone does it—the impact is huge. Share information highlighting how much energy, money or carbon these behavioural changes could save. Switching off appliances and avoiding standby could save you up to 35€ and reduce your carbon footprint by about 50kg annually.
If you are looking for a more in depth discussion on how to encourage your employees to work remotely be sure to:
with one of our experts on hybrid work and desk sharing alike.
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Blog post on the energy crisis, written specifically for employers: What else is in store? What solutions are there? How can desk.ly help?
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