Critical to the success of any green program is getting employee buy-in. How do you improve the likelihood of that happening? Consider the findings of some researchers at the School of Hotel and Tourism Management at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University and a co-researcher. Their paper, “What Drives Employees’ Intentions to Implement Green Practices in Hotels? The Role of Knowledge, Awareness, Concern and Ecological Behavior,” provides some interesting clues.
The researchers conducted a survey at 10 Hong Kong hotels, eight of which were 4 or 5 star and two of which were 3 star hotels. Half of the respondents were female, and the majority were aged between 20 and 49. Fewer than half had a Bachelor’s degree or higher level of education, and just over half had worked for their current employer for more than five years.
The employees who took part in the survey generally had positive views on environmental green practices. Those who indicated greater knowledge, awareness and concern about environmental issues were also more likely to indicate positive intentions to implement green practices in their hotels. Interestingly, however, the researchers found that even those who were highly knowledgeable and aware, and expressed concern about environmental issues, were unlikely to implement a hotel’s green policy if they did not make a habit of practicing ecological behavior in their daily lives—in other words, at home. A surprising finding? Not really, but it does make me wonder whether or not you should be asking questions during the application and interview stages that increase the likelihood of you hiring folks who are already practicing “green” outside of work. A bad hire can be a time waster, cause stress within your green team, cost money, and even prompt other employees to leave.
Evaluate Effectiveness of Training
Oftentimes, employees resist the introduction of environmental policies because they fear it will cause more work or changes in their routines. Some may also feel intimidated because they lack environmental knowledge. There may even be a language barrier. How do you gain the support of your employees? The researchers suggest providing environmental training to upgrade employees’ skills and environmental knowledge. This will help to change attitudes. Once the training has taken place, evaluation of its effectiveness should take place.
Finding the people who already believe and then keeping them trained is certainly key. It is much more than that, however. You have got to reward your employees every now and then for their efforts that contribute to reductions in waste and energy and water consumption. Bonuses work, of course. Contests and competitions among staff also come to mind. You have got to celebrate successes. When was the last time you held an awards dinner to recognize achievements?
I often have a challenging time getting readers to respond to questions. But if you have a moment, I would like to know if you ask specific questions during the application or interview process to help you know if you are going to hire someone who is already a believer and excited about sustainability, or a skeptic who is more apt to require more energy to get motivated and trained. Also, once that employee is hired, what do you require in the form of sustainability training? A one-time 15-minute presentation? Something more extensive? How do you keep employees motivated and trained on an ongoing basis? Do you require any kind of formal employee commitment? The signing of a commitment letter, for example?
I would love to hear from you. I will share best practices in an upcoming column. I can be reached at editor@greenlodgingnews.com.
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