Hybrid working: A win for the environment

The shift to hybrid working has created a lot of positives for workers, most notably an increase in flexibility.

According to research from workspace provider IWG, in partnership with design company Arup, hybrid working also reduces carbon emissions.

“This new research reveals we have an extraordinary opportunity to radically reduce humanity’s negative environmental impact by encouraging the adoption of hybrid working. Five-day commuting to city centre offices has the largest carbon footprint of any working model,” said IWG chief executive Mark Dixon.

Coinciding with World Earth Day, IWG measured hybrid working impacts across the US and UK. The research found that hybrid working reduced carbon emissions by up to 90 per cent in the US and 80 per cent in the UK.

IWG argued that Australia would see similar results as according to the government’s Quarterly Update of Australia’s National Greenhouse Gas Inventory: March 2022, the transport sector accounted for 18.7 per cent of Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions. This was 5.4 per cent higher than 2021, highlighting an increase as working from home declines.

The distance travelled played a key factor in the data, with IWG noting that those who worked near or at home reduced their carbon footprint significantly. In London, carbon emissions saw a 49 per cent reduction when workers had a mix of onsite working and local workspaces.

One way to reduce emissions is to use local hybrid office spaces, said IWG. According to the research, local office spaces have less emissions per square metre.

“Simply spending less time in or travelling to a city centre drives a drop in emissions from buildings and vehicles alike. Allowing people to work close to home, enabling them to split their time between home and a local workplace, has the potential to reduce a worker’s work-related carbon emissions by 70 per cent,” explained Mr Dixon.

“The single biggest change we can all make right now is to provide people with the choice to work closer to where they need to be, and with lower impact on the environment. And that’s down to all of us. The results of our research with Arup show clearly that given the right will, this is within our power — right now.”

Even more traditional methods of reducing carbon emissions, like riding a bike to work, can play a role in reducing employees’ carbon footprint.

Matthew Dillon, director of city economics and planning at Arup, commented: “This research clearly shows that changing our behaviour is key to achieving our carbon targets. We can choose to walk and cycle, and to make more journeys by public transport. Governments must also choose to invest in these networks and use them to secure both environmental benefits and economic growth.”