Many workplaces today are using team building exercises and community involvement to help develop their staff into high motivated, high performing employees all the while promoting a positive image in the community. These types of exercises and projects foster a bond between employees while emotionally investing them in the company for which they work. Team building programs are an effective way to improve productivity and invest in people.

Recycling programs are an excellent way to combine both aspects into one project. By helping the environment, employees and the employer can show how committed they are to their environment and home town while providing a common goal for the entire staff to come together around.

Kicking Off An In Office Waste Program

Even if your office already recycles, a fresh program can invigorate the company culture. For a small investment, recycling bins can be purchased to make recycling easier and more convenient. For example, recycling containers with multiple compartments are perfect for multi-stream waste, such as handling plastic bottles, paper products, and aluminum cans in one place in the cafeteria. Recycling bins can also be placed in offices and near copiers and faxes to catch all of that paper waste.

Customizing the company recycling bins will help bring the project together and instill a sense of pride and ownership in the office. Recycling containers can be purchased with the company's logo or slogan to help promote that pride in doing a good thing for the environment.

Generating A Sense Of Pride And Achievement

People feel good when they make a difference and achieve something positive for their community. Set up a goal to focus the project on a certain weight of waste each month and equate all the recycled waste to its corresponding benefit for the community.

For example, show the statistics for every so many pounds of recycled paper equates to how many trees are saved from being cut down and how much greenhouse gasses they would remove from the atmosphere. Customize recycling bins with these statistics so that each employee knows what is the positive impact of each recycled plastic bottled as they throw it away.

Sponsor Waste Management In The Local Area

A waste program does not have to be limited to just the office; sponsorship in the community will achieve complimentary goals to the in house effort. Establish a program with the city to place those customized recycling bins in public areas to help people properly dispose of their waste and keep their neighborhoods and parks clean. Imagine the sense of community and unity that generates when an employee is walking through the park with their family and they spot one of "their" recycling containers out there -- plus, its great advertising!

These projects can have a powerful impact on the office and community. Motivating people to do good and feel good while doing it will develop strong bonds throughout the office and in the community.