Introduction
In the face of growing environmental crises, such as those experienced in megacities like Mexico City, where pollution levels are high and exacerbated by rising heat, health issues both physical and mental arise among the population. To mitigate these effects, measures like the “doble no circula” (double no-driving days) aim to reduce certain components generated by vehicle emissions using fossil fuels like gasoline.
Organizational Measures for Sustainability
From an organizational perspective, flexible schemes such as home office or teleworking can significantly contribute to reducing pollutants. With these arrangements, many individuals avoid commuting to their workplaces.
Study Findings
According to a Cornell and Microsoft study, employees with hybrid work models working from home 2-4 days a week can reduce their carbon footprint by 11% to 29%. Working from home just one day a week results in less impact, reducing their carbon footprint by only 2%.
The study highlights that the primary contributors to workers’ carbon footprints are travel and office energy consumption. Employees who telework once a week have comparatively smaller commuting distances, home energy consumption, and non-work-related travel.
Expert Opinions
Paulina Macias, sustainability coordinator at Chevez Ruiz Zamarripa, explains that the environmental impact of home office is significantly smaller than that generated in a corporate setting.
“Simply put, one of the main energy consumption areas is refrigeration and ventilation in buildings. If an office opts to have remote employees instead of being physically present, all energy and refrigerant consumption for ventilation and cooling systems is eliminated immediately. This is a massive impact,” she emphasizes.
Macias further points out that in cities like Mexico City, daily commutes by millions of people, whether using public or private transportation, generate significant emissions. Working from home eliminates these commutes, which are both an environmental and a health concern due to vehicle exhaust particles contributing to pollution.
Regina Purón, ESG Manager and environmental activist, adds that home office helps reduce emissions from transportation to workplaces and the use of disposable containers for food purchases.
“In my view, home office goes beyond just reducing emissions; it allows for more self-care time, which in turn benefits the planet. Avoiding takeout orders due to working from home has a positive environmental impact,” she comments.
Purón also notes that working from home allows employees more space for personal care and saves on childcare expenses, commuting costs, and time.
“It encourages taking better care of yourself, and as we all know, time becomes an even more crucial resource in the fight against climate change. When we lack time, it leads to increased consumption of disposable items, which negatively impacts the environment,” she explains.
Home Office and Double No-Driving Days
Paulina Macias suggests that during double no-driving days triggered by environmental contingencies, working from home can help reduce pollutants.
“Regarding overall pollution levels, if people have the option to do home office, they stay at home, which indeed reduces pollution since no emissions are generated on that day,” she explains.
Macias adds that contamination issues arise from the accumulation of pollutant gases and particles. While staying home on a contingency day might not solve the problem, it contributes to long-term effectiveness.
Regina Purón acknowledges that reducing mobility on high-pollution days is beneficial but does not constitute a genuine environmental change.
“Implementing home office during environmental contingencies would significantly decrease the number of cars on the road, thus lowering emissions. However, the core issue lies in people’s long commutes, especially in Mexico City, which negatively impacts their quality of life,” she emphasizes.
Purón considers that such measures can help mitigate environmental impact but are merely temporary fixes within a pre-existing system.
Challenges of Home Office
Paulina Macias points out that one risk of home office is the lack of connection between fully remote employees and their supervisors, colleagues, or the company’s mission and vision, potentially leading to decreased loyalty.
“From an opportunity standpoint, if a company offers a hybrid model where employees know they can work from home one or two days a week, it could greatly impact equity issues, such as reduced commuting stress,” she comments.
Regina Purón notes that while some employees perform equally or better when working from home, others struggle significantly more.
“I believe there’s a need for substantial development in organizational growth, measurable through attainable objectives,” she concludes.
Key Questions and Answers
- How does home office contribute to sustainability? Home office reduces carbon emissions from commuting and office energy consumption.
- What are the benefits of home office for employees? It can lead to improved work-life balance, reduced commuting costs and time, and increased self-care opportunities.
- Does home office help during double no-driving days? Yes, it reduces pollution by keeping people off the road during contingency periods.
- What challenges does home office present? Potential lack of connection with the organization and varying employee performance levels.
