Workplace recycling is something that many people may view as ‘too much effort’ to coordinate. However, it’s so important! Whether your office is made up of 20 employees or 200, the way you dispose of your rubbish can have a massive impact on our environment. It’s all well and good recycling at home, but you have to remember to carry it through into every aspect of your life.
These are some quick and easy tips that will allow you to protect our environment at the same time as doing your daily work. Read on for some valuable tips on how to encourage recycling in the workplace…
Raise awareness
One of the best ways to boost workplace recycling is to raise awareness about the benefits. If your employees understand the positive impacts on our environment, they’re more likely to make the effort to recycle! You could also inspire them to stop buying single use plastic (such as water bottles in their lunches), but it’s all baby steps…
Clearly differentiate bins
Make sure you signpost your recycling bins effectively. Instead of leaving your employees to their own devices, make it very clear what goes in which bin. This could be a poster above the bins that helps them along their journey. This could feel like you’re being too pushy, but it’s better to be safe than sorry!
Include it in their training
When you have a new employee, it could be an idea to include the recycle bins in their training. Make it another stop in the tour of the workplace, ensuring that they know exactly where they need to go to do their bit for the world! Give them a small explanation about how and why to do it, and they’ll retain what you tell them.
Lead by example
One of the best ways to boost your workplace recycling efforts is to do it yourself! As with anything, if your employees see you regularly do something that you preach, they’ll be much more likely to do it themselves. It will also give you a united front, with every member of staff carrying out the same processes.
Display signs around the workplace
Promote recycling in the workplace by displaying posters on the walls. This could be above people’s desks or decorating the fridge, subtly urging people to dispose of their waste in a responsible way! If you make these posters look attractive or fun, you could even pass them off as part of your workplace décor.
Encourage reuse
Make sure your employees are making the most of resources. If something is printed, ask your staff to use the other side either as scrap paper or to use a second time in the printer. This will save paper in the workplace and build a community of prioritising the re-use of materials. This could even carry through into their homelives!
Work with a charity
There’s nothing to say you can’t handle workplace recycling on your own but working with a charity could hold you accountable, persuading you to make a more conscious effort. A charity like the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) frequently work with businesses to give them recycling goals to work on together.
Will you be carrying these tips into your workplace? Our simple steps could help your employees realise the importance of the recycle bin! Do your part for the environment and make your workplace a united front – a group effort is bound to make a difference.
If your workplace builds up a lot of waste that you need to dispose of, or you’re thinking of making over your office for a fresh start, here at Junk Taxi we can carry out your office clearance. Call us on 020 3092 2961 or email info@junktaxi.co.uk and let’s get started!