Environmental Workplace Behaviors: Definition Matters

What is it about?

An organization's employees are also private citizens, who bring to work environmental values and attitudes. This paper defines the concept of "green employees" and explores their motivations to help the environment through work actions. Green employees are more likely than other employees to engage in environmental behaviors at work. Sometimes these behaviors are 'silent,' such as turning the computer off at the end of the work day, or printing on both sides of paper. Other times, these behaviors are more involved, requiring the participation of multiple people, teamwork, and collaboration. Yes other times, these behaviors may run counter to the economic purpose of the organization, but they contribute to environmental protection. This paper classifies environmental behaviors at work along a continuum, ranging from low intensity to high intensity, depending on the visibility of issues, amount of risk taking, and the tangible and intangible costs to the employee and the organization.

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Why is it important?

Sustainability at the macro level starts with environmental action at the individual level. Defining who is a green employee helps with designing jobs that provide meaning to them, developing cultures that attract them and understanding the factors that enable them to perform environmental behaviors at work.

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