Tag: work

Why employees demand a robust environmental policy and what companies can do about it

Why employees demand a robust environmental policy and what companies can do about it

A recent survey carried out by Unily found that 83% of workers thought their employers weren’t doing enough to make sure that the workplace was eco-friendly. 65% of employees said that they’d rather work for a company that had a robust environmental policy. If offices and workplaces were more sustainable they’d only cut down on their energy consumption, but also make choices that were better for the planet. If you run your own business, there are many changes that you can make within the workplace that are more green and sustainable. This will ultimately make it a better environment in which to work.

Office cleaning

Many of the cleaning products used in offices and workspaces contain chemicals and toxins that are harmful to the environment. Bleach, ammonia, air fresheners, antibacterial products and any cleaning spray with an artificial fragrance are generally toxic. Research done by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) found that 53% of air fresheners also damage your lungs if they are inhaled. Common ingredients include sodium laureth sulfate, triethanolamine and PEG compounds – all known carcinogens. If you have a large workspace, using a professional company that specialises in green cleaning is a good idea. This will minimise the impact that cleaning has on the environment. If you’re responsible for cleaning, swap harmful cleaning agents for natural alternatives. Use only recyclable paper products and reusable mops, dusters and micro-fibre cloths for cleaning.

Water consumption

Many offices and workplaces have large water bottle coolers for staff to use. Once they’ve been used, the majority of the plastic bottles will end up in landfill – plastic takes 450 years to biodegrade, and in the meantime the Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) seeps into the soil and the water, ultimately ending up in rivers and oceans. An easy alternative is good old fashioned tap water. You could also invest in a filter jug for staff to use, so that the water tastes better. The filters need replacing every 6 months, but this creates far less waste than using water coolers.

A paperless office

For the vast majority of communication between staff, clients and customers, there’s no need for paper. In your workplace environmental policy, set targets for reducing the amount of paper and set up limitations for office supplies, printing, packaging and marketing materials. Delegate someone in the workplace to be a “paperless champion”, helping to motivate others. Within the workplace, make full use of emails, digital signature software and PDFs to share information and communications. You can also move to digital financial statements with all your clients and suppliers. Where you do absolutely have to use paper, make sure that recycling is promoted.

Making the workplace a more sustainable and eco-friendly place is everyone’s responsibility. Limiting the use of paper and plastic and using green cleaning supplies can help to protect the environment for the future.

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Benefits of remote access for small businesses

Benefits of remote access for small businessescredit

With a small business, it’s important to note that remote access isn’t something that will only be beneficial for larger corporations. A lot of small businesses are finding that when they can access office files and resources remotely it provides a lot of benefits for the business as well as for employees. Supporting flexible and remote working is an obvious benefit, and by using remote access it means that the business will still be able to keep up to date and catch up, in this post-pandemic era. Remote access solutions are something that can benefit your small business, and they don’t have to be things that are expensive or out of your budget.

Illustration of remote working outdoors

Flexible office solutions

One of the big costs that a business will have is the office space that they occupy. With employees who work flexibly and work remotely the majority of the time, you can reduce the office space that you use, if you need one at all. If there are fewer workers that need a desk space, the cheaper or smaller place that you could rent for an office, if at all. As the site https://physicaladdress.com shows, you don’t have to have a physical office space to be able to get business mail, neither do you need to include a personal address on a business website. If you do decide to go down the route of getting rid of the physical office, then you have real flexibility as well as more adjustable office solutions.

Interview taking place over a conference call

Talent recruitment

If you work flexibly and run this across the whole of your small business, then it improves the talent pool that you can reach when it comes to recruitment. Normally, the talent pool for a business only extends to people who live in a commutable distance from the office. However, if you work flexibly and allow employees to work remotely, then it increases the geographical location of potential candidates. You can really choose the best people that apply, rather than having to choose the people that apply only because they live in the vicinity.

In a similar vein, you can also have continued access to existing staff. If they’re moving home to a different part of the country, they don’t have to leave working for you when remote access is implemented. Another benefit for business and the business budget.

Three people working remotely and collaboratively

Collaborative working and resource sharing

When you have a remote working business, you can work with colleagues on a collaborative basis, as well as externally with clients, third parties or suppliers. When you interact remotely, it helps to save time on travel, save money and improve productivity on the part of all involved.

Using remote access and accessing something in the cloud for document sharing means that you can share work with others, wherever they are in the world. As documented here, https://workplace.com/cloud-collaboration, cloud collaboration can be something that can really benefit business and be a good thing for employees too. You just need to think outside the box and it will help to make a difference to how your business works.

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How the right office equipment can boost productivity

How the right office equipment can boost productivity

With the rise of remote work, a growing number of people realise that they can do their job perfectly well outside a traditional office environment. Working outside your company’s office and no longer having your supervisor’s eyes on you offers a lot of flexibility. But to maintain productivity, you still need an office space that encourages deep focus. Without essential office equipment, your efficiency and the quality of your work are likely to suffer.

Read on to discover how the right office equipment can help you reach peak productivity even when you’re working from home in your pyjamas.

Illustration of woman sitting at a home office desk

Comfort

The majority of office jobs require you to sit in front of the computer for several hours each day. To stay productive throughout the whole day, you need to sit in a comfortable position that doesn’t cause strain to your body. An ergonomic furniture set-up can provide the necessary comfort so you can maintain good posture for hours. First, you need an ergonomic chair with lumbar support that can protect you from back and neck pain. Although all desks are mostly the same in terms of comfort, choose one with drawers to store important items you need to have within reach. Thus, you’ll avoid creating clutter on the desk.

Illustration of a desk lamp over a laptop with a cup & saucer to the side

Convenience

Imagine having no printer where you work and being forced to visit a local library each time you need to print a document. This is the perfect example of why investing in the right office equipment is worth it. High-quality gadgets, electronics and office machines can help you save minutes and even hours each day. To use a wireless printer at home, for example, you only need a smartphone or tablet. There’s no simpler or more convenient way to get fast, high-quality printing.  So, think about your daily office activities. You may find that there are more convenient ways to do them than you think.

Illustration of a man on a conference call

Connectivity

When you work remotely, staying connected with your co-workers, supervisors and clients is vital. So, it’s important to install equipment in your office that can ensure fast connectivity with the outside world. First, you need a high-speed internet connection so you can easily transfer files, access digital platforms and maintain instant communication. To enhance the internet connection in your office, purchase a high-quality router. Besides a fast internet connection, you may also need a reliable phone and a generous phone data plan.

Illustration of a smiling man standing at a desktop computer

Efficiency

The best part about remote work is that the time you save by being more efficient is all yours. Depending on the type of work you do, you can increase efficiency simply by creating a strategic office set-up. For example, adding a second monitor can help boost productivity significantly because you won’t have to switch between windows, projects or platforms for a piece of information, thus disrupting your work-flow. An updated computer system with the latest and fastest hardware can also increase productivity.

Whether you work from a traditional office, a co-working space or from your living room, you can’t reach your maximum productivity if your environment is not geared towards efficiency. Invest in high-quality office equipment to streamline your work and gain valuable time.

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