In our day and age, organizations are aware of the impact their activities have on the environment. We all feel the urgency to look after our planet and act responsibly, and organizations are keen to do their bit to adopt sustainable practices. In fact, most public and private organizations have a policy in place to become CO2 neutral in the upcoming years. A future (and present) dominated by hybrid working models offers organizations the opportunity of becoming more sustainable by reducing CO2 emissions and foster thriving communities. Let’s have a look how.
Reduction in CO2 emissions
In our last blogpost, we addressed how commuting is one of the biggest offenders to our planet. Carbon emissions are a driving force behind climate change. Adopting a hybrid working model can help to reduce an organization’s CO2 footprint: being able to select on-demand locations, employees have the opportunity to switch cars to bikes or walking to their workplace. Offering this possibility has positive consequences: a study published last March mentions that cyclists have 84% lower CO2 emissions than the rest of the commuters.
And this is not the only way that working from anywhere can help to reduce CO2 emissions. Optimizing the use of office space can help companies to scale down, and reduce the amount of office space they need. The number of resources needed to build and maintain offices will decrease, having a positive effect on sustainability. Besides, office buildings have enormous carbon footprints. Lighting, heating, and cooling consume massive amounts of energy throughout the day. Research shows that, in the Netherlands, the average rate of occupancy is 44% during the week and 68% during peak days. Rethinking office use and space allows coming up with real estate strategies that reduce building energy consumption, allowing organizations to hit zero-carbon targets.
Thriving communities
In traditional working models, employees often live in the suburbs and go back home late in the evenings. By the time they are in their neighborhood, most shops are closed and people have less contact with the community they live in. Accommodating a working from anywhere model can change this and have a positive influence on the livelihood of cities and neighborhoods. Having the possibility of choosing a workspace on demand gives employees the option of choosing locations close to their homes which relates to the 15-minute city concept. This concept refers to giving people the possibility of accessing their basic needs within a 15-minute radius of where they live. Increasing the proximity between people’s homes and work encourages them to spend more time and money in their local communities, allowing corner shops and local restaurants to flourish.
To realize the sustainability benefits that working from anywhere can deliver, organizations must explore the model that best fits their workforce and real estate strategy.
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