Technology is going to be key player in our fight against climate change, and it has a significant role to play in driving behaviour change and engaging employees and stakeholders in sustainability. Without employee and stakeholder buy-in, organisations will not be able to succeed in delivering their sustainability targets. That’s why it’s important they leverage technology to help them create a culture of sustainability, deliver net zero targets, and showcase themselves as progressive drivers of meaningful change. In this blog we round up some of our favourite ways technology can be used to help organisations engage the masses and exceed their sustainability targets:
Gamification
Gamification involves incorporating elements of games into everyday activities to make them more fun, engaging and rewarding. By using gamification, organisations can incentivise sustainable behaviour and garner employee buy-in in sustainability initiatives and net zero targets. For example, employees can earn points for adopting certain sustainability behaviours, such as reducing energy consumption. These points can then be used to create engaging competitions within the organisation with top point-scoring teams and individuals winning prizes.
Social recognition
Recognition for hard work within the workplace is essential for employee engagement, boosting morale and creating a positive work culture. By letting employees know that they are doing a good job and shouting about their achievements to their peers, they are more likely to continue to perform that behaviour. This also incentivises other employees to do the same. You can implement social recognition into your sustainability initiatives by investing in social recognition tools, or opting for budget friendly alternatives like regular recognition communications like newsletters that are fun, human and engaging.
Mobile apps and virtual hubs
Mobile apps and virtual hubs can be an effective tool for driving sustainable behaviour change and engaging employees in sustainability initiatives. For example, employees can use a mobile app to track their carbon footprint and receive personalised recommendations on how to reduce it. The benefit of investing in mobile apps and virtual hubs is that they can be used inside and outside of the workplace and engage employees with notifications anytime, anywhere.
Communications
Technology can provide improved communication channels and tools, helping to foster a more collaborative and connected workplace through cohesive messaging. This can help to encourage teamwork, improve decision-making, and reduce communication barriers. For example, instead of having posters to promote sustainability initiatives, communication tools can send sustainability updates and reminders right to employee inboxes and mobile phones. By making communications easy and convenient to find, readers will be more likely to engage in them and perform the desired outcomes.
Sustainability dashboards and data driven insights
Sustainability dashboards can provide real-time data on a wide range of sustainability topics, such as energy consumption, water usage, and waste and recycling. They allow organisations to monitor their engagement and sustainability performance and identify areas for improvement. By providing employees with access to sustainability dashboards, organisations can engage employees in sustainability initiatives and empower them to take action to reduce their environmental impact. For example, on a Jump platform, the Impact Dashboards allow users to see the positive environmental impact of the actions they are taking, while the Performance Management Dashboard allows organisations to see what sustainability activities are most and least popular with their staff. With these insights, organisations can work together with the Jump Programme and Communications Managers to conceptualise bespoke campaigns that boost employee engagement in sustainability activities.
Employee education and training
Technology can also be used to educate and train employees on sustainability initiatives and best practices. Sustainability Managers can often be surprised by how little some employees know about sustainability and how their actions could make a difference. By investing in technology for employee education and training in sustainability, organisations can empower employees to make positive changes in their daily lives that benefit them at home as well as at work. For example, e-learning modules can be used to provide employees with the knowledge and skills they need to reduce energy consumption, recycle, and promote sustainable behaviour in the workplace and at home.
How Jump use technology to promote behaviour change in the workplace
At Jump, we use all the technological features mentioned in this blog to help our wide range of clients achieve widespread engagement and long-term behaviour change. A winning mix of communications, education, incentives, recognition, data and dashboards are all found within our bespoke gamified sustainability programmes. These features help our clients to reduce their environmental impact, save money, and attract and retain employees who are committed to creating a more sustainable future. When surveyed, 78% of programme users said that their sustainability actions have become part of their daily & weekly routine, while 80% stated that the programmes made them more aware of the impact they have on the environment.
If you want to learn more about technology and communications can be used to drive long term behaviour change within organisations, we are hosting a webinar on the 20th April 2023 which will cover these topics – you can register for it here. Alternatively, if you already like the sound of the technology Jump can offer your organisation, request a demo to find out how we can tailor our product to your needs.
