Sustainable Workplaces

"Going green" is currently en vogue. There are true believers who are doing more than saying the slogan. I refer to those that are just lightly scratching the surface as "green washers"- they are doing it simply as a fad. I am finding, though, that more and more business leaders are getting on the bandwagon and making this a business priority. When current and future leaders understand the corporate and long term benefits "going green" provides, they will see the business case for the efforts behind it, specifically three things: 1) the connection to the bottom line, 2) the innovation it drives, and 3) the forward thinking push it gives the organization.

It can be very simple to get started and every little bit helps. I see it as a "triple loop", essentially tapping into a systems level approach that includes the 1) environment, 2) economics, and 3) society (whether it be the community or employees). Starting with what we can do with our work environment, I suggest focusing on saving, expense reduction and supporting the community (i.e. donating to food pantries, spring clean ups, volunteering, etc.)

When you start within your organization and establish an internal "Green Team," employees from different departments and seniority levels, etc. will start individually seeking ideas, and initiatives to collectively make a difference. They can research best practices from other companies and assessing the costs associated with each and making recommendations for implementation.

Even if your organization is small and your “Green Team” consists of two people, it will still build sustainability practices and priorities within your company. It is important to note here the criticality of leadership support - if the leadership team is not ingrained, its importance will be perceived as simply lip service.

I suggest establishing a baseline with our clients- determining where they are and setting a roadmap of where they need to be. I want to help them create a measurable checklist depending on their specific needs. This will vary depending upon how they currently perceive the topic of sustainability and approach it. Some clients are very tentative initially and some are ready to embrace it, drive it and make it happen. Regardless of the timeframe and readiness level, again, the key here is leadership buy-in for it to really become a priority and therefore embodied in the organization.

A lot can be achieved without a lot of dollars. I see 5 critical components for a healthy workplace that correlate well with sustainable business practices. Let's touch on each one briefly:

1) Employee Engagement - Employees can really bring these creative initiatives to life. Many companies provide monetary incentives when employees come up with cost saving ideas. 

2) Employee Development - This area can go in so many different directions and is critical for the retention of your employees, including leadership webinars, career counseling, teambuilding, skill-based learning, undergraduate tuition reimbursement, flex time, comp time, etc.

3) Health & Safety - This is really an issue for all companies and really runs the spectrum. We see everything from on-site fitness centers and yoga classes to health risk assessments and flu shots to nursing centers and heart attack prevention. The important thing here is to demonstrate your concern for the well-being of your employees.

4) Employee Recognition - Not every person always wants more dollars in their pocket (though it does help). When people enjoy what they are doing, the appreciate recognition for the value they are creating in the business.

5) Work/life Balance - Again, this is across a broad spectrum - money management, English as a second language, telecommuting, massage services, toastmasters on site, etc. What is important here is to get a pulse on your employees' needs and interests and respond specifically to those.

In closing, organizations need to look for leaders that have a sustainability consciousness, perhaps by assessing for the specific characteristics mentioned above and asking specific questions about a candidate’s position on social responsibility and how that individual will approach the business, employees and the community. With such leaders, sustainable organizations will embed practices that contribute to the well being of their organizations, their employees and the overall environment. Excellence in sustainability leadership does not emerge from techniques or theories but instead emerges from a way of being that is consistent, committed and trustworthy.