Hybrid working, flexi-working and working from home are here to stay. Aside from a better work-life balance and a financial benefit to companies, did you know that flexible workings policies also contribute to a greener future for our planet? If, like thousands of businesses across the world, you have committed to reducing your carbon footprint and making your workplace a little greener, hybrid working policies can help you to achieve those goals in a meaningful and measurable way.
Hybrid Working
Improved well-being, increased income, and increased mobility are just some of the many benefits of hybrid working for employees. It gives your staff more freedom and autonomy over how and where they work with no significant impact on productivity levels. Cutting out the commute, utilising digital solutions and making the most of rural, temporary office space has had an impact on the quality of life of hybrid workers. It’s so important that recruiting companies now offer flexible working as a standard instead of as a benefit. According to the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), hybrid working has clear environmental benefits, by reducing emissions through decreased business travel and fewer commutes to the office.
Cut out the Commute
The latest report by IPCC has delivered a clear and shocking message. Harmful carbon emissions were higher over the last decade than at any other time in history. An average person commuting to and from work by car every day in less than an hour equates to about 3.2 tonnes of CO2 per person every year. The daily commute to and from work accounts for more than 98% of an employee’s work-related carbon footprint.
‘To get back to the levels of the Paris Agreement, the world needs to cut global emissions by 45% in the coming decade, by substantially reducing fossil fuel use “The right policies, infrastructure and technology to enable changes to our lifestyles and behaviour can result in a 40% to 70% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050,” said Priyadarshi Shukla, one of the authors of the report. One such change is a reduction in commuting, and office workers around the world know it.’
Offering employees hybrid or flexible working arrangements means less time commuting, lower harmful emissions every day and a better work-life balance for individuals.
Energy Saving Hybrid Working
Did you know that one day of working from home can increase household energy consumption by between 7% and 23% compared with a day working at the office? Energy use in the Winter is usually higher than in summer due to heating demand but some homes and offices rely on air conditioning in the warmer months driving up energy usage. One day a week of working from home is up to four times more energy-efficient than the daily commute. IEA concludes that with just one day a week of working from home during an average year, the overall energy saved from less commuting is around four times larger than the increase in residential energy consumption. This massive saving highlights the benefits of hybrid working or using a local flexible working space as opposed to full-time in-office or working from home.
Boost Your Local Community
As the demand for hybrid working increases, companies are realising that their large city centre headquarters are becoming increasingly wasteful and costly. Downsizing opportunities are becoming more and more popular this year with serviced offices and working hubs increasing in popularity. When a business chooses to utilise a coworking space, workers are given the choice of working at a satellite office close to their home, only visiting the main office occasionally – cutting down on the commute and increasing satisfaction among employees. Companies no longer need to provide prestige office space in city centres when employees are just as effective and productive elsewhere. Satellite offices have a fantastic effect on local communities, with coffee shops, local stores and more thriving with a local workforce. It also saves money for both employer and employee.
NATIONAL CONNECTED HUBS VOUCHER SCHEME
Our hub space at the Osprey Hotel and Conference Centre offers office space for people who are looking for office space as a solution to having to work remotely at home or as a combination of remote and in office work. The Osprey Hub is part of the National Connected Hubs Voucher Scheme which allows you to receive 3 free days of hub use per person. These vouchers will be valid until the end of August. You can register as a member now on the connected hubs website to get an alert when your vouchers are available.
Make hybrid working work for your business with the help of Premier Business Centres. Our workplace solutions include serviced offices, a coworking hub in Naas, virtual offices, call answering services and more. Contact us today to learn more.
