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Business leaders view climate change among the top three issues facing their organizations today, according to a 2022 Deloitte report. The findings were the result of a survey of 2,000 executives, with more than half identifying climate considerations as a concern.
Alarming perhaps is that almost all said climate change had negatively impacted their companies over the past year, which may help to explain why three-quarters reported their companies having increased their sustainability investments — with 20% saying those increases were significant.
Remote work is being hailed as one way to increase workplace sustainability, but it might not be as green as previously reported.
How Sustainable Is Remote Work?
On the surface, remote work seems a clear candidate for environmental benefits. Fewer office buildings, less traffic, decreased resource use and, ultimately, less pollution, right? One group of researchers decided to take a closer look.
Using a massive anonymized dataset from Microsoft, which offered details into the daily lifestyles of remote workers, they analyzed five key elements: information and communication technology (ICT) usage, residential energy use, office energy use, commuting and non-commute travel.
Ultimately, shifting from fully onsite work to fully remote work can cut emissions by around half, said Fengqi You, professor at Cornell University and co-author of the study, but it’s not the “net zero” that some might expect — and far from the 94% greenhouse gas emissions reduction his prior study had calculated.
Related Article: The Remote Work Debate Drags On
Remote Work Myths Busted
The study took Microsoft’s data on remote workers’ day-to-day lifestyles and energy use and compared it with recorded greenhouse gas emissions from in-person work. With this method, the researchers were able to bust a few myths.
The first assumption? Remote employees drive less because they don’t have to commute to work each day. The study found remote workers often drive more than their in-office counterparts, taking several short trips throughout the day.
When they do come to the office, hybrid workers tend to commute further than onsite workers due to housing choices, said You. And, he added, “non-commute travel, such as trips to social and recreational activities, becomes more significant as the number of remote workdays increases.”
On top of that, remote workers might be using more energy than they realize. The study found that working from home can prompt people to use more energy over the course of the workday on things like air conditioning and dishwashers, items they wouldn’t typically use if they went into the office.
Related Article: How to Prepare for Extreme Weather With Your Digital Workplace
5 Ways to Make Remote Work More Sustainable
Despite the debunked assumptions above, remote work does have the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and positively impact the environment. But only if organizations and employees work together to create intentionally green policies and practices.
1. Refine Remote Work Frequency
Remote work frequency plays a big part in achieving sustainability. For instance, those who work from home two to four days a week can reduce their carbon footprint by up to 29%, according to You. But go down to one day a week, and that reduction sits at only 2% due to greater commuting distance, home energy use and other facts.
“Thus,” said You, “organizations might consider the ‘optimal’ number of days for hybrid workers if this flexibility is to be offered to the employees.”
2. Use Flexible Workspaces
Businesses are moving away from the traditional model of operating space on a leased, per-floor basis, said Sam Pickering, head of sustainability at The Instant Group. Now, they’re looking for flexible workspaces, which can reduce their real estate footprints and bring down costs.
“Flex allows companies to correct huge inefficiencies and reduce overall emissions by tailoring their office space more accurately to their actual needs,” said Pickering. If people don’t come into the office Mondays or Fridays, how many floors should be operational?
You added that to reduce their footprint, organizations could promote office space or seat-sharing among hybrid workers when possible. “Office space energy use is a main contributor to the overall emissions, and shared office space in an effective way could be a very important tool for hybrid workers to reduce carbon footprints,” he explained.
3. Consider Local Workspaces
Beyond flexible workspaces, Pickering said many organizations also use local workspaces, as opposed to one central office space, to enhance the green potential of remote and hybrid work.
“The shift to hybrid work saw employees working from home en masse. However, those employees are now wanting to join local communities of other remote workers,” he explained. “This supports a reduction in commuting emissions, whilst also enabling companies to track a remote worker's carbon footprint.”
4. Encourage Green Practices
Another area to look at is education into at-home green practices. For instance, turning off certain appliances during the day, limiting water waste, using energy-saving modes on electronics and switching to green energy sources when possible can all help reduce a remote worker’s carbon footprint.
“Organizations should also encourage the use of low-carbon commuting methods, such as public transportation, ride-sharing and electric cars,” said You.
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5. Invest in Green Tech
Companies can encourage the use of energy-efficient technology that reduces electricity use by offering reimbursements or direct provisions. Devices that prioritize sustainability standards consume less energy, have a longer lifespan and are manufactured with a smaller environmental impact.
Software optimization is another avenue for consideration, where organizations can offer access to tools such as those that detect and close unused background processes, regulate performance and offer deeper power-saving modes than standard built-in options.
Related Article: Sustainability Moves to the Top of Corporate Agendas: Here’s Why
Remote Work vs. Greener Offices: Which Is Better?
Remote work has the potential to increase sustainability within organizations by cutting carbon footprints and cultivating a healthier environment — a win for individuals and businesses alike. But it still requires careful planning and execution to make sure we’re seeing benefits. And creating a 3-day flexible work policy isn’t enough to start reaping those green benefits.
According to the study’s authors, remote work might, in fact, not be the only way toward a greener work future.
In reality, in-office work could match the greenhouse gas emission of work-from-home — if office buildings get a makeover. The study argues that today’s office buildings could be made greener, such as through more energy-efficient appliances, water conservation methods or transitioning to a decarbonized grid.
Corporate executives and decision-makers need to consider the data above and practical implications to guide their sustainable approach to remote or hybrid work. Going forward, a harmonious blend of green initiatives — in and out of the office — might just be the solution for a sustainable future.
