With the green revolution in full swing, Human Resources executives may want to alter some of their workplace practices with the environment in mind. With businesses around the world working hard to develop initiatives, there is already a great pool of resources to derive information, and a little of your own creativity wouldn’t hurt either. The first thing to do is evaluate where your behavior could be made more efficient. This efficiency can be found in many places; energy consumption, paper waste, commuter time, etc. Now that you’ve figured that out, you have a starting point for improvement. Here are a few great tips to jumpstart your personal green revolution.
If possible, conduct first interviews over the phone, or with a web program like Skype, rather than in person. You can ask the more time consuming questions in the first interview – especially the basics, like confirming job history and answering any questions the prospective employee may have. This practice is more environmentally friendly because it saves them from travelling all the way out to the work place where it is unlikely they will have an established car pool prepared. It also saves them time, and this is something that everyone appreciates with time being the most valuable commodity any of us has. Find out about their outlook concerning the environment. This shows them immediately that the business they are applying for values and strives for a green business ethic. By immediately presenting that face for your company, you invite the potential employee to be proud of their own green ethics. It is still recommended to conduct second interviews in person, as it gives you as an employer, and the potential employee, a solid and concrete image for one another.
When reviewing resumes, attempt to hire the best candidate but also keep their proximity in mind. A long commute is a drain on both the environment and the energy of your employee. It is preferable to both the employer and the employee that they work closely enough to work so that they can try and find alternative means of transportation, rather than a single occupancy vehicle. It is against the law to discriminate, but being innovative and finding alternative means, such as telecommuting or a different branch are not categorized as such. If you are confused about the details, consult an attorney before proceeding with this new hiring policy. Let new employees know that car pooling is encouraged within their workplace. They will appreciate the money they save through this practice, as well as the hand they are playing in reducing their impact on the environment.
Another great way to reduce paper is to create and Online Employee Handbook instead of print. These books tend to be full of a lot of simple information that only needs to be read through once, and are not necessary as a tangible, quick access source. They usually contain a lot of repetition and common sense knowledge, and are sometimes more of a formality than anything. If a tangible book would be useful, then trim down the information that is to be printed out to only what is necessary. The added bonus to this smaller sized book is that it is easier to find what you’re looking for – instead of having to search through dozens of pages, you only have to glance through a few. It is time effective for both you and your new employee. By putting the book online, employees can also return to check a fact at any time without worrying about losing it, and the information is readily available whether at work or at home. The paper reduction strategy applies not only to the Employee Handbook, but nearly all information and communication. By having the majority of information and communication transferred online, a ton of paper can be reduced, and that really adds up. Keeping documents digital makes them easier to send, to make copies of, and to organize; there are many fringe benefits to the no-paper-policy besides the contribution to a greener society. Not only is it an advantageous decision in terms of business efficiency, it is one of the easiest initiatives to put into place.
As a Human Resource executive, you are the intermediary between your company and employees. By presenting and instilling a green sensibility from their first interaction with the company, it fosters a continuing expectation for environmental awareness within the office. You are one of the first steps in making small changes that make a big difference in terms of sustainability.
