How going green boosts business output

We recently reported that productivity can be increased by having a clean office or adding a splash of colour with art. But in terms of the business as a whole, the experts at smallbusiness.co.uk say going green is the best way to boost performance.

Energy efficient offices cut bills by 20%
Energy-efficient equipment can reduce energy consumption by up to 70%. Likewise, cheap and simple measures such as using energy-saving light bulbs and keeping a tighter reign on temperature can also help cut bills by 20%.

Businesses can benefit from utilising natural light where possible rather than relying on overhead lights. This not only helps cut costs, but can boost productivity among staff by fighting fatigue.

Telecommuting decreases carbon footprint
Office space across the UK is becoming more expensive and increasingly harder to find and many businesses turn to telecommuting as a solution. This quick fix is proving useful for the green revolution, reducing companies’ carbon emissions by limiting the number of people travelling in to work – in some cases by more than 51 million metric tonnes a year.

Better air quality reduces sickness
Sickness absence costs UK businesses an estimated £32 billion a year and one of the main causes of illness outbreaks in offices is poor air quality. Upgrading to adequate ventilation systems to properly circulate air reduces pollution and limits the spread of airborne germs. For a cheaper solution, turn to plants. They naturally remove toxins from the air and have been shown to improve productivity and memory retention among employees.

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