Many people think the term “office etiquette” only applies to practices such as holding the door open for co-workers or cleaning up the shared kitchen space when you’re done preparing your lunch. However, office etiquette can refer to any type of behaviors that are expected from employees in the workplace. This includes energy and water conservation strategies that are designed to not only protect the environment, but also to save employers money.

If you plan on implementing new energy and water conservation strategies in the workplace, it’s important to let your employees know. The best way to do this is by placing signs around the office to inform your employees of the new best practices regarding energy and water conservation.

Why is it so important to implement energy and water conservation rules around the office? What should the signs say? How can you ensure your employees take the time to read the information on the signs? Here’s what you need to know about office etiquette signs to conserve energy and water:

Why is Conserving Energy and Water in the Office Important?

There are a number of reasons why you should consider conserving energy and water in the office, including:

• Raise awareness. By implementing these new rules, you can raise awareness about the importance of energy and water conservation. These rules could inspire your employees to conserve energy and water at home, too.
• Protect the planet. Saving energy reduces your office’s carbon footprint. In other words, it reduces the amount of air and water pollution that is emitted into the environment as a result of your office’s energy usage. 
• Saves money. If you pay for electricity and water for your office, these conservation strategies could save you a significant amount of money. The less energy and water you consume, the lower your monthly utility bills will be. 

What Should Your Office Signs Say About Conserving Energy?

The signs you create should outline exactly what you expect your employees to do to conserve energy in the office. There are countless ways to reduce your employees’ energy usage, but here are some general ideas to get you started:

• Turn off the lights when you leave the room.
• Shut down your computer, printer, and other electronics before leaving for the day.
• Turn the air conditioner off or dial the temperature up before leaving at the end of the day.
• Make sure the refrigerator door is completely closed when it’s not in use.
• Keep windows and exterior doors closed when the air conditioner is running.
• Don’t print anything unless it is absolutely necessary to do so.

What Should Your Office Signs Say About Conserving Water?

You should create separate signs that outline your new rules regarding water conservation. Some ideas for these signs include:

• Turn off faucets when they are not in use.
• Do not flush anything down the toilet except for toilet paper. This includes feminine hygiene products, paper towels, and other items.
• Report any leaks or dripping sounds to the maintenance team as soon as possible.
• Only run full loads in the dishwasher. 
• Do not hand rinse dishes in the sink prior to loading them in the dishwasher.

How to Implement New Energy & Water Conservation Rules in the Office

Creating your office etiquette signs is the first step in the process of getting your employees to go green. The next step is implementing your new energy and water conservation rules.

Follow these tips to ensure the rollout of your conservation plan goes as smoothly as possible:

• Give employees a heads up. Don’t just hang signs around the office and expect your employees to stop and look at them. Instead, let them know to look out for new office etiquette signs in the workplace. This ensures that your employees will stop and read the signs when they spot them.
• Teach employees the importance of energy and water conservation. Help your employees understand why you are implementing these new rules. They will be more likely to follow your rules if they understand the importance of them. 
• Place signs in common areas. Make sure all of your employees see your new signs by placing them in common areas such as the kitchen, hallway, and entryway of your office. 
• Lead by example. Practice what you preach by following all of the new rules you are implementing in the office. This will tell your employees that you are taking the new rules seriously and expect them to do the same.

Now you should have the information you need to create and implement new office etiquette rules for water and energy conservation.