It's Time to Become a Working Environmentalist

If you're the boss, take care of the environment–your working environment. You are in charge of the company's air quality, noise pollution, and climate. This is your opportunity to determine the environmental conditions you and your associates work in. 

There's a sales rep who calls on me regularly, and every time he's in my office he tells me what a nice office we have and how professional we are. He has also shared that if I were to visit his office he would take me in through the back door because the front lobby is so disgusting. If that weren't enough, he tells of his CEO walking up and down the halls without shoes, surely not a habit to emulate. 

Working environments, as shown in the above example, have a significant impact on visitors. Of equal importance, however, is the impact it has on your fellow workers. 

I know my co-workers appreciate having a pleasant place to work. They tell me so. And I also encourage them to tell me when there's a deficiency that needs attention, which they do. 

Being a "workplace environmentalist" isn't a matter of responsibility. It's a matter of productivity, worker attitudes, customer image, and employee retention. So don't do it just because you're a sweetheart. Do it because it's good for business. And it is!