Green Generation’s workspace: Millennials have something to teach us
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Millennials are going to favor your services if your offices are green.
The ideas of sustainability, eco-friendliness and energy-efficiency became a part of our lives some time ago, but it seems that only today are they able to reach their full potential.
The surprising thing is that this isn’t possible thanks to technological innovations or by raising the awareness of their importance, but due to an entire new generation of young people who are taking these notions into the future.
Despite being misunderstood and often judged, the Millennials have something to teach us – the importance of keeping your office space green, healthy and in perfect shape – and we all need to listen.
Here’s why these things are so important to them and why they should be important to us as well.
Green office 2.0
We all love green office spaces and being surrounded by lots of fresh air, natural light, plants and flowers is definitely better than being stuck in a cubicle that makes you hate your life. But…
…what happens when a younger generation enters the world of business and makes a ton of improvements in the way we perceive green offices?
The Millennials generally have a new view of the world and are able to see things more clearly than the generations before them and, in addition to that, are usually more aware of the troubles the world is facing at the moment.
They pay attention to things like health, environment and hygiene, and the experts report that they’re “consistently more eco-sensitive and believe that they can do things in their daily lives that would positively impact the environment.”
Focus on the green
Lots of businesses used to focus their attention on the quality of the office space and weren’t afraid to invest considerable sums of money into keeping their office employee-friendly.
This meant they started bringing in things like coffee makers and vending machines, opened recreational rooms, and encouraged their staff to take longer breaks that would reset their concentration and motivation.
Now, however, the focus has shifted onto keeping your offices more green and environment-friendly because the Millennials have realized that only these types of offices are actually more employee-friendly.
This basically means that offices now have to pay an equal amount of attention to their employees and the environment, trying to promote the latter by making the former happy.
Ultimately, green offices are beneficial to your physical and mental health, as well as your focus and inspiration, which is why we all need to strive towards them.
Taking things to a new level
No matter how great this sounds, there’s always room for improvement, so be sure to investigate a couple of ideas that could help you accentuate your need for a green office space.
And when you ask the Millennials about the things they value the most in their corporate surroundings, the answer might surprise you – it’s not the openness of space, the amount of fresh air or the number of plants that make the space more natural and enjoyable, but the hygiene.
Keeping everything clean and shiny is vital for your employees’ health, but also for the appearance of your company.
Just imagine potential partners or investors entering your premises and finding dust and trash all over the place!
Moreover, you can’t have a healthy environment unless the hygiene is on the top level, and the Millennials aren’t scared to express their need for cleaner offices.
After all, it’s their right to work in a sanitary space, which is why investing in an adequate office cleaning on regular basis is a must for every company at the moment.
Go, go green!
Finally, what are some of the ways to make your office greener and more suitable for a new generation?
Among the things the Millennials need are green office supplies – staple-less staplers, post-consumer plastic containers and recycled paper – and green options for regulating their indoor temperature: opening up windows more frequently, fine-tuning the thermostat and weather-stripping the doors.
Additionally, they just love incorporating eco-friendly ideas into their printing process, which is why they don’t use a printer unless it’s absolutely necessary.
In the end, the Millennials prefer recycling over using new resources and some of them will probably be happy to organize a recycling center in your office, so encourage them to do so.
There’s another reason why green office space is such a wonderful idea: besides helping you stay healthy and motivated, it also shifts the attention of the new generation of consumers to your company.
In other words, the Millennials are going to favor your services if your offices are green, so make the change as soon as possible!
Article by Faith McGregor
