Small firms can save money on their energy bills by targeting staff who fail to adopt the same energy-saving practices they use at home in the workplace.
Research from Eon found that 78% of workers in small businesses do not transfer energy-saving practices into the workplace and 65% ignore company policy on environmental initiatives.
"Collectively Britain's businesses account for 35% of the UK's carbon emissions and these emissions are still rising, in contrast to the energy savings carried out in our homes," said Jim Macdonald, commercial director of Eon.
"The resultant carbon footprint from staff failures to switch off the lights and computers overnight for a typical small business is equivalent to a roundtrip long haul flight. Our study shows that the right training and incentives can help change behaviour."
The report found that the majority of workers switched between two profiles at home and work. Dr Peter Clough, behavioural psychologist at Hull University, classifies these as ‘hero' and ‘wimp' mentalities.
Hero stands for ‘home efficient, recycles, offsets' and accounts for 87% of employees in their own home. The research found that 85% of these recycle, 76% switch off electrical devices when not in use and 68% have energy-efficient lighting installed.
Wimp stands for ‘work inefficient, minimises power savings' and the report suggests 78% of workers turn into this when in work mode. Over half (56%) are afraid to ask permission to implement energy-saving initiatives, 55% are not concerned once the financial incentive has gone and 26% worry about being ridiculed by fellow staff.
"Employees are still reluctant to stand out in the workplace as environmentally conscious," said Clough. "Within many organisations a degree of bravado and desire to flaunt rules can see those abiding by sensible green policies labelled ‘jobsworths' or worse. Without significant incentive, such ingrained behaviours can be hard to overturn."
