High staff morale is another positive outcome of good organisational waste management.
More than nine out of ten Australian households recycle10 and employees are increasingly expecting — and putting pressure on employers to provide — recycling facilities in the workplace. Statistics indicate that Australia-wide, 80% of employees would like more recycling in the workplace and that having recycling facilities makes them feel that they work for a responsible employer.11
When recycling programs are implemented in the workforce, staff morale increases and employees feel like they are part of a team. The knock-on effect of this is significant.
High staff morale is associated with higher job satisfaction which in turn leads to cohesive, productive team work. Employees with high morale and job satisfaction are committed to their employers, and motivated to work harder to achieve more and staying with the employer longer. Not surprisingly, retaining staff leads to financial gains – as reduction of profit from the costs of recruitment and training are avoided.12
Illawarra Area Child Care introduced compost bins, worm farms and paper recycling to the 11 sites they run across the region. This action was supported by staff training and education. As a result of these changes the centres are expected to send 8 tonnes less waste to landfill each year. They have also seen improved staff training, increased morale and greater engagement with sustainability processes.
Illawarra Area Child Care are expected to send 8 tonnes less waste to landfill a year.
Three out of four Australian businesses report that good waste management practices increase their ability to attract and retain talented employees.
Make the Case
When putting your case together:
- Outline ways in which co-workers will be involved in the development and evaluation of new practices.
- Identify channels for clearly communicating changes to staff so there is shared understanding of what is changing, why it’s changing and their role in the change. Confusion or resentment are the enemy of change. Use one of our adaptable emails for making the case to management or communicating new recycling programs to staff.
- Include strategies for recognising and rewarding positive staff engagement.
The Business Case for Less Waste - Introduction
The Next Step: Using the Brain to Create Change
