A fresh study reveals that over one-third of small business workers are less vigilant about energy consumption at work, knowing the bills aren’t their responsibility.
The survey, which garnered insights from 1,000 employees in small firms, found that three-quarters do not know what their company spends on utilities monthly, and nearly half are too consumed by their workload to concern themselves with saving energy.
The poll of 1,000 small business workers found half have left devices on standby instead of switching them off, 49 per cent kept unused equipment plugged in, and 37 per cent have printed things off they don’t need.
Additionally, the report discovered that 48 per cent overfill the kettle, 38 per cent fail to switch off lights when rooms are unoccupied, and roughly 20 per cent overlook closing doors even when heating or air conditioning is running.
More alarmingly, 12 per cent exploit office showers to reduce their personal household expenses.
Can you spot these key energy wasters?
“Employees are more mindful of energy use at home but, understandably, at work, they have their mind on other things,” Victoria Bacon from Smart Energy GB, which conducted the study, said.
She sees this as an opportunity for small businesses to engage their teams in smarter energy use and encourage energy-saving tactics at work.
Victoria suggested: “One small thing owners can do is to get a smart meter installed. The data they provide can help businesses monitor their usage and identify where they can make cost savings.”
She was heartened to find that two-thirds of those surveyed stated they would likely intervene if they saw a colleague being wasteful, which could aid companies in tracking their energy use.
She noted, “Being mindful of waste, and even making small changes, could save money on their employers’ energy bills and reduce their impact on the environment.”
The top ten examples of energy waste at work were identified as:
- Leaving printers and copiers on standby
- Keeping unused equipment plugged in
- Boiling more water in the kettle than necessary
- Leaving lights on in unoccupied rooms
- Printing unnecessarily
- Opting for lifts over stairs for short journeys
- Utilising personal heaters rather than the central heating system
- Leaving doors open unnecessarily when heating or cooling is active
- Overusing lighting in areas already well-lit by natural light
- Forgetting to turn off projectors and screens in meeting rooms