Being green is key to a happy working life

Published Wed, May 9, 2012 Updated Tue, Feb 16, 2021

More than half of the UK’s workers feel they would be happier and more positive at work if the companies they work for were more supportive of their efforts to be green, a national survey has found.

Companies who take their environmental responsibilities seriously are far more likely to benefit from a productive, happy and motivated workforce.

Despite the clear link between being green and being happy, a recent study revealed that 41% of workers said they had previously found themselves in an awkward situation with their bosses in the past simply for trying to positively implement green practices at work. A further 40% say they would avoid suggesting greener working initiatives because they wouldn’t want to be seen as ‘nagging’, which could reflect badly on their career prospects.

The importance of companies supporting their employees’ environmental efforts doesn’t stop there. One in ten employees go as far as stating they would look for another job if they felt their company’s environmental efforts were not being taken seriously enough. And, a staggering 60% of workers say they are influenced on whether to apply for a job or not by a company’s environmental credentials, meaning companies who don’t take the environment seriously enough may be missing out on top working talent.