Study shows that ‘working together’ and ‘leading by example’ are key factors in improving green practices at work.
A OnePoll survey of 1,000 office workers, commissioned as part of Avery Green Office Week, revealed that fifty-five percent of people say they work with colleagues who either disregard green working practices or are deliberately wasteful. Forgetting to recycle, needlessly throwing away paper and leaving computers switched on overnight are just some of the top green bugbears identified by workers.
May 13th – 17th sees Avery launch the fifth Green Office Week, with the study highlighting the importance of tackling such issues by collectively working together to champion greener ways of working. Forty percent of office workers say they are more likely to be environmentally-friendly in the office if they are surrounded by colleagues who are passionate about green issues. Green Office Week aims to build on this and unite office workers across the country, empowering them to take simple, practical steps to help make workplaces more sustainable.
‘Leading by Example’ Key to a Greener Office
The study found that how individuals encourage green behaviour is crucial in affecting how likely work colleagues are to respond to change in a positive way. Forty-four percent of workers say that colleagues who promote green practices can have a tendency to make them feel guilty, with forty percent of those saying that this tactic can get ‘annoying.’ Instead of making individuals feel guilty when they forget to recycle or turn off the lights, sixty percent of office workers say that a far better way to encourage others to be green is to lead by example – stating that actions speak louder than words. Other positive strategies identified include helping people to understand the cost benefits of reducing waste and making green behaviour part of everyone’s job descriptions.
Green Office Week 2013 comes at a time when, despite the global economic uncertainty, only 12% of office workers feel that the environment is now less of a priority for their business, with 42% stating the financial crisis has actually increased the need for their workplace to be greener and more resource efficient. 66% of office workers also say they are more likely to purchase a product if it is environmentally-friendly, with 61% saying they would feel happier if their workplace was seen to be more environmentally-friendly.
Here to help, Green Office Week provides tips and inspiration encouraging office workers to think about the small, positive steps they can make towards creating a more sustainable working environment. The week also highlights some of the innovative solutions that can help us all to be greener at work, such as Avery Recycled Labels and Recycled Dividers, the Avery DTR Eco desktop accessory range and unique BlockOUT™ Labels that allow files, envelopes, and packaging to be re-used rather than thrown away. With most of these products part of the Avery Rewards promotion too, there’s never been a better time to be green!
To find out more and to get involved with Green Office Week 2013, simply register at greenofficeweek.eu or visit the Green Office Week twitter feed @greenofficeweek.
Green Office Week aims to empower workers across the UK to change their office practices for the better, helping them to find greener ways of working. Taking place on May 13-17th 2013, the week aims to unite offices around the country, raising awareness of the issues and offering practical help and advice to office workers looking to make a difference. For more information, log onto www.greenofficeweek.eu.
Avery Dennison Office and Consumer Products markets products under the well-known Avery brand name and is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of self-adhesive labels and paper products for laser, inkjet and multifunction printers, labelling software, index dividers and a wide range of other products for both consumer and commercial markets. Avery Dennison Office and Consumer Products Europe, a business unit of Avery Dennison Corporation, has manufacturing operations in UK and Germany and sales and marketing offices in more than ten countries across Europe. For more information about Avery products, consumers can visit www.avery.eu.
Full Disclosure Statement: The GREEN (LIVING) REVIEW received no compensation for any component of this article.
This article is for your information only and the GREEN (LIVING) REVIEW does not (necessarily) approve, endorse or recommend the product, service or company mentioned.
