How to Inspire Your Employees to Recycle in the Workplace
Commercial waste is a big issue in the UK, but you can minimise your impact by educating yourself and your staff about business recycling. Recycle in your workplace by setting targets and rewarding your team members for exceeding their business recycling goals. Encourage recycling of your commercial waste by providing incentives and signage. Use company-wide rewards to encourage recycling or make it a competition among employees. Recycle day is an ideal time to set up a reward program for correctly disposing of commercial waste.
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Here are some great ideas to inspire your employees to recycle:
Recycle in the Workplace: Tent cards.
If you’re looking for a way to motivate your employees to recycle in the workplace, consider investing in Seed Paper Tent Cards. These unique table toppers are made from recycled paper and feature embedded seeds. These seeds will grow wildflowers in the soil, making the cards eco-friendly and plantable.
They can even be custom-formatted. They’re also great branding tools for events or corporate takeaways. In addition to placing Tent Cards in critical areas such as the lunchroom and office break room, you can use these colourful cards to provide information about commercial waste recycling and other environmental programs you have implemented. They’re easy to make, come in multiple designs, and you can customize them to include certain recycling information.
Tent cards are also great for displaying information and seating assignments. The good thing about them is that they’re also printable, so you can create as many as you need.
Recycle in the Workplace: Signs
Recycling in the workplace is an excellent way to encourage employees to make positive environmental choices. Ensure you provide appropriate signage in areas where employees tend to throw away materials. You may need more signage for your business waste management if you have a large office. Also, be sure to get buy-in from employees.
- If your commercial waste recycling program is voluntary, provide incentives to employees who participate and show interest.
- You can sponsor a contest to name your recycling program and create an internal logo that is both attractive and sustainable.
- Encourage participation in commercial waste recycling programs by setting goals.
- Encourage recycling by setting weekly targets and rewarding employees for reaching them.
For example, a department with the least waste can be the winner. Reward those employees who recycle the most with incentives that are meaningful to them. For example, Harvard University rewards recycling winners with a top letter grade. Organize the recycling challenge in your office and keep it up throughout the year. Make sure to make recycling easy for employees.
Recycling codes |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
7 |
PETE |
HDPE |
V |
LDPE |
PP |
|
Polyethylene Terephthalate. |
High Density Polyethylene |
Polyvinyl Chloride |
Low-density Polyethylene |
Polypropylene |
All other plastics |
Recycle in the Workplace: Personal Recycling Bins.
Consider using a personal recycling bin in your office.
This will encourage more responsibility and a greater awareness of waste. A smaller trash can will fill up quickly—also, post signs in areas where employees can recycle their commercial waste. Encourage staff to reuse mugs and reduce the use of disposable cups. You’ll feel much better about recycling your office supplies after your company implements these measures. Encourage your employees to use recycling bins in convenient locations – you may need to set up some commercial waste bins.
The more convenient it is, the more likely they’ll use them. In addition to recycling bins, place posters in prominent office areas showing how much waste your company generates and sends to landfills. You can also display waste reduction data on these posters. If you have employees who feel challenged by recycling, use colourful posters or signs that show the impact of a recycling program on the environment.
Recycle bins should be placed in strategically strategic locations throughout the workplace. If employees don’t take notice of these signs, recycling may become an afterthought. However, creating a recycling campaign that keeps your employees motivated will make them more likely to take action. And this will lead to increased recycling rates. If you implement recycling bins and recycling signs in your office, you’ll see a dramatic difference in the culture and attitudes of your employees.
Recycle in the Workplace: Reminders
Reminders to inspire your employees to recycle at home can be effective at work, too. Posters or cards in the centre of every table with recycling information. This will prompt staff to separate waste after eating. It also serves as a reminder to the office manager that employees should recycle as much as possible. If your office does not have recycling bins, place reminders on your website so employees can quickly locate them.
Recycle coffee filters and grounds. Paper coffee filters are great for composting and keeping your office cleaner. You can also reuse bulk food containers for leftovers. Many recycling programs fail because they aren’t communicated well to staff. You must ensure buy-in from employees and make clear goals for the program.
Once your employees have bought in, then the rest is easy. You can give them free prompt cards to encourage recycling at work.
Recycle in the Workplace: Reminders
Posters are effective ways to remind employees about the importance of recycling. Remind them about recycling policies through emails or posting posters in their offices. They will be more likely to follow the policy and do their bit by doing this. If you want to encourage even more staff to recycle, consider offering incentives for recycling at work.
For example, a company could award employees every tonne of paper they recycle. Show commitment to recycling. Your employees will see that it is important to you by demonstrating your commitment to recycling. By showing them that your company values recycling, you will create a positive atmosphere in the workplace. Recycling can be tricky – sometimes, it’s hard to know which materials are recyclable and which aren’t.
So, ensure appropriate training for staff to improve their skills and help them recycle more.
Recycle in the Workplace: Place Recycling Stations
Recycling stations should be easily accessible and well-placed throughout the office. The station should also be located close to the desks. Some small companies place recycling bins under each employee’s desk if possible. Reminders to inspire your employees to recycle at work can help your company save on costs by reducing electricity usage. When employees see they’re doing a good thing, they’ll be more likely to do their part.
Recycle in the Workplace: Rewarding Employees for Recycling
To promote a recycling culture, try putting commercial recycling bins around the office. You may already have trash cans at specific locations, but try placing recycling bins next to copy machines and printers to encourage employees to recycle paper. Or, you could place them at the desk-side near each employee. You could even reward employees for creative recycling bin design and creativity or create contests to name your recycling program or create an internal logo.
You can also create competitions among staff members so that the highest-scoring employees can win a prize. This friendly competition can help break the daily routine and spark creativity while increasing company spirit. You can also organize a contest among different departments and building sections and set up prizes for the winners.
Rewarding employees for recycling in the workplace can also boost job morale, as employees feel good about doing their part to save the planet and appreciate the company’s efforts. Incorporate a company-wide recycling incentive into your company’s rewards program. Recycling encourages employees to recycle by reducing waste sent to landfills, reducing carbon emissions, saving energy, and conserving natural resources.
In addition to rewards, recycling also promotes awareness among coworkers. To make employees aware of recycling, place informational material near recycling bins and high traffic areas. A company can have a recycling ambassador to increase employee engagement and increase the chances of achieving recycling goals. These ambassadors act as the conduit between management and the coal face.
Recycling can be discussed at daily stand-up meetings, sometimes called WIG meetings. You can also include a list of recyclables in the meetings. You can also post reminders at workplace recycling bins. And the best part is that these ambassadors can be an employee! Recycling can also help the company’s image. Recycling can help your company attract new customers who care about the environment.
Besides that, you can also mention your green company in your marketing materials and sales calls. By rewarding employees for recycling at work, you’re not only doing your part for the environment but also creating a competitive advantage for your company. Encourage your employees to recycle and be an eco-friendly business!
Recycle in the Workplace – Learn more about UK business waste statistics here.
Other useful links from our Commercial Waste Centre
Why Should Your Business Go Paperless?
Choosing a Garage Waste Management Service
Developing an EMS for Hazardous Waste
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