Want to be a more responsible and environmentally friendly corporate citizen? Consider allowing your employees to work remotely.
While you’re probably already aware of the substantial impact telecommuting has on the lives of individual employees, such arrangements also possess the power to contribute to the greater good. The opportunity to make a difference exists on multiple levels!
Here’s a look at two of the most prominent ways in which committing to remote work improves can help the environment:
It gets more cars off the road.
Traffic isn’t just a headache for workers—it is a major source of carbon dioxide emissions. Eliminating commutes means fewer vehicles on the nation’s highways, which cuts down on greenhouse gases and helps in the fight against global warming. And everyone from small children, to those with health problems, to the elderly (not to mention all of us who enjoy fresh air) benefit from improved air quality.
Just how much of a difference can be made? According to a 2017 study by FlexJobs and Global Workplace Analytics, here are the numbers achieved by the current telecommuting population of 3.9 million who work from home at least half-time:
Annual Environmental Impact:
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- Vehicle miles not traveled: 7.8 billion
- Vehicle trips avoided: 530 million
- Tons of greenhouse gases (GHG) avoided (EPA method): 3 million
- Reduced traffic accident costs: $498 million
- Oil savings ($50/barrel): $980 million
- Total air quality savings (lbs. per year): 83 million
Carbon Savings Equivalents:
- Tanker trucks of gasoline: 46,658
- Homes powered by electricity for a year: 538,361
- Tree seedlings needed to offset (grown over 10 years): 91.9 million
While companies with many employees stand to make the greatest difference, remember that all efforts add up. Don’t discount the idea of offering telecommuting just because your staff is small.
Your company reduces its environmental footprint.
Employing remote workers decreases (or even eliminates) the need for on-site office space—meaning substantial possible savings for companies in terms of rent and upkeep. But beyond the monetary gain, think about what such a scenario means for the environment. With less construction for business use, more green space gets preserved. And if a business can consolidate operations into one location rather than two, imagine how much less heat, air conditioning, light, and other energy get used.
Companies with remote workers also report some less obvious but definitely wonderful ways telecommuting helps the environment. Computer paper usage goes down, since employees become accustomed to sharing documents electronically. And people working from home tend to prepare their own lunches, cutting down on the plastic cutlery and paper packaging that accompanies take-out orders.
Plus, your decision to allow employees to contribute remotely adds to the overall perception of telecommuting as a viable work option. Other businesses may be inspired to follow suit, leading to an environmentally positive snowball effect!
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