If you’re a growing business and looking to attract the best new talent in your industry, you should be thinking beyond job descriptions and salaries. A recent study: the 2022 Workmonitor survey, showed that the key areas employees are looking for include a company that aligns with their values in terms of social and environmental issues. For that reason, among many, it pays to work on boosting your sustainability credentials, including ensuring you’re running an environmentally friendly office space.

In October 2021 75% of adults in Great Britain said they were worried about the impact of climate change, according to the Office for National Statistics’ (ONS’) Opinions and Lifestyle Survey (OPN). There were some groups more concerned than others, with those under 35 the most concerned of all, making sustainability credentials even more important if you’re looking to attract younger employees.

Employers need to demonstrate they are going beyond just the everyday steps or recycling cans and encouraging people to cut back on printing. One way they are doing this is by selecting environmentally friendly office rentals, where they are walking into a workplace already set up to minimise their company’s impact on the environment.

What to look for when finding an environmentally friendly office space

There are some key initiatives and facilities to look for when trying to find your business an environmentally friendly office space:

• Energy saving measures – even if you’re in an all-inclusive office rental arrangement where bills are included, saving energy is still one of the key ways in which your business can reduce their impact on the environment. Look for measures such as LED lighting, solar power, lights that switch off when no motion is detected in the room and Quooker taps that stop the endless kettle boiling.
• Efficient use of water – rainwater harvesting is increasingly being used for everyday functionality in office buildings such as flushing toilets. Look for office locations where this is either in place or being set up is another strong, and innovative, environmental measure to take.
• Use of recycled materials – many new office builds are built on green field sites out of new steel and concrete, but more and more developments are thinking beyond that. Finding an office build on a redeveloped brown field site is more environmentally friendly both because you’re not building on top of nature, but also because preexisting materials can often be used, such as the original structure, or repurposed materials like scaffolding boards. This will also add up to a more unique office environment too.
• Facilities that encourage cycling and public transport – while free parking is no doubt a must, finding somewhere with bike park facilities and close to public transport will not only demonstrate a commitment to the environment but also widen the talent pool to those without cars.

Find an environmentally friendly office to rent in Surrey

If you’re looking for a shared office facility built with sustainability in mind, get in touch with Tannery Studios to find out more about how we’re looking to help our tenants save the world.