In light of the recent global climate strikes, where we all look at world leaders to take action to reduce CO2 emissions, I wanted to share some thoughts about our role in this movement.
I want to talk about how we, as leaders in our companies and communities, can and should contribute to creating a more sustainable world, by stimulating working remotely.
We are living in a world where more and more people use technology to collaborate with their clients and teammates. However, many companies expect their employees to come to the office full-time to do their work. But, working in the office full time is no longer a necessity, and there are many, many advantages of remote work and having remote working strategies in place will help your company to be more successful.
However, today I want us not to understand the advantages for companies, or why remote working is a great perk for employees.
Today I want you to think about how remote working can lead to a more sustainable world.
But before I get to that, I want to tell you a story from my childhood.
Climate action success story: The Hole in The Ozone Layer
The year 2019 is not the first year children and teens are scared for the future of the planet. In 1985, scientists did something they never did before: they went to the media to inform the public of the “hole in the ozone layer” that was going to destroy life on Earth as we knew it.
We, humans, would have high risks of getting skin cancer and extreme climate change was expected, ending up in a Mad Max-like world. It worked: people got scared, governments took action, children did school projects to raise awareness and we even stopped using deodorant because the cans contained the exact CFK’s that were responsible for the ozone depletion. 30 years later we are all still here, and the ozone layer is on it’s way to recovery.
And it is because WE TOOK ACTION. CFK’s got forbidden and the recovery is currently seen as one of the biggest success stories in climate.
Now it is your turn: become a sustainable employer
If you are in a leadership position in your company, working as a CEO, an HR manager or even a team lead, you might want to think back to your childhood and being scared for the future of our planet. Just as the leaders in the eighties took action, it is now your chance to do so.
As a leader, I want you to take positive action with regards to at least these three areas below to help reduce the CO2 emissions in your company by optimizing the technology that is to your disposal:
- · Reduce business flying and use online conference tools, like Remo, instead
- · Transition to a paperless office; get rid of the printers
- · Stimulate your employees to work remotely
Commit to becoming a remote-friendly company
What if all your employees would work remotely at least one day a week? That is a 20% reduction of commute-related CO2 emissions. Two days? Well, you do the math.
As a professional organization, stimulating remote work SHOULD be on the agenda and it should be taken seriously.
Committing to becoming a “sustainable employer” needs to be in your company’s strategy for 2020 and beyond, and having a remote-friendly culture in place is part of that. Making your employees come to the office five days a week really is simply no longer acceptable in a world where hundred-thousands are on the street demanding measures to prevent climate change.
Transitioning might be counter-intuitive for you as a leader, or you might have concerns about productivity, well-being, culture, engagement, management or tools and procedures. But these concerns shouldn’t hold you back: many other companies have created remote-friendly cultures successfully and we, at Hello Monday Club, can provide you with proven solutions and support if needed.
Final words about becoming a sustainable employer
Having remote working policies in place is a big pull-factor for employees. Many of today’s workforce, for a variety of reasons, want to work remotely at least a few days a week. And the awareness of our carbon footprint is increasing rapidly, so I really recommend you to take action if you want to stay on top of your game.
Creating a company where it is not only accepted, but also stimulated to work remotely, will help you a lot in becoming a Great Place to Work, but you will also be able to position your company as a sustainable employer, becoming more attractive for future talents out there.
And, more importantly, you will give the future generations what we got from the generation before us: a liveable Earth to pass to our children.
Photo by Taylor Simpson on Unsplash
