Episode 13 :: Involving staff in saving energy
An enthusiastic workforce that looks out for energy waste, and proactively saves energy, will help deliver savings to the bottom line.
Did you know that around 50% of the energy used in commercial buildings is under the direct control of the people working in them?
Energy can be a sizeable proportion of costs, even in companies that wouldn't necessarily describe themselves as energy-intensive. An increasing number of businesses are discovering that saving energy makes good commercial sense - it delivers savings directly to the bottom line, can improve relationships with customers and suppliers, strengthen the brand and reputation, and improve staff morale.
If you're embarking on an energy-saving programme in your business, one of the first steps should be to look at how you can best engage your staff to help.
How much do your staff know about energy?
A good start to a staff engagement programme is doing some research to work out how much your staff already know and understand about workplace energy use - and what their behaviours are on a daily basis. This gives a good basis to raise awareness and start encouraging behaviour change.
Make it easy for people
You might be surprised to find out that it's not actually that easy for staff to turn off or power down equipment when they should. They might not understand how or why - or the way you r workplace is set up may make it harder. For example:
Screensavers don't save any energy, and monitors use more energy than the computer itself. Monitors should be turned off entirely when people leave their desks for a while Banks of light switches should be clearly labelled so it's easy for staff to see which zones they relate to Do staff know how to switch off common-use machinery or office equipment? Consider staff training or taping instructions to a nearby wall Set up clear responsibilities - make it someone's job to switch off in specific areas at the end of the day.
Read these for more energy saving ideas:
Saving energy at work - involving staff Saving energy at work - office equipment Saving energy at work – lighting Saving energy at work – heating and cooling Saving energy at work – transport Download ‘switch off' posters to put up around your business
What if you want to make it formal?
A good staff awareness and motivation programme will harness everyone's ability to reduce energy waste on a daily basis. You can follow a step-by-step plan to get your staff on board, and start seeing results Read how
Download your Staff Awareness & Motivation guide.
Other companies are benefitting from getting staff on board with saving energy. Read how it works for Crowne Plaza Christchurch.
Make saving energy part of a formal programme for the whole business
Read the hands-on downloadable guide to managing energy for profit - Energy Management Programme Guide - Part 1 (PDF 61kb) and Energy Management Programme Guide - Part 2 (PDF 106kb).
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