Insights from the forefront of future of work thought leadership

You might be looking around your office interior at this very moment and thinking it’s time for an office renovation. But change for change’s sake is not the solution.

Many office refurbishment companies – including interior designers and other fitout specialists – will take a purely visual approach to enacting your commercial office refurbishment, without considering the unique culture and drivers of your business.

How can your culture be leveraged to promote staff wellness and workforce performance, attract and retain A-grade talent, and meet the demands of a multigenerational workforce and rapidly evolving technology?

Only by approaching your business from a 360-degree, multidimensional perspective will your new office fitout be a change worth making. That’s why you need to enlist the services of a workplace transformation partner, not just another office fitout company.

Here’s how a workplace change partner, the likes of Axiom, will dig deeper and deliver generously:

Insight

Many office fitout companies offering refurbishment services will be quick to produce a design concept to wow and dazzle you. But there is a lot of discovery that should occur before even one single thought is given to the design of the office interior itself.

The right workplace transformation partner will spend the time getting to know your business and people to determine exactly what makes them special. All of this information will then be used to accentuate your strengths – or, alternatively and additionally, make improvements where they can be made – as part of the Ideation of your new office fitout. This approach ensures your commercial refurbishment is driven by data, not just design trends.

Questions that might be asked:

• How do your employees prefer to work?
• Do they need to gather together or do they require quiet spaces or both?
• What sort of technologies are you using and where is your business headed in terms of agility and connectivity?
• How are you currently communicating across teams and how can this be further facilitated?
• Do you have high rates of absenteeism or employee churn?

The answers to all these questions should directly influence what occurs next in the Ideation phase.

Why Choose Us

At Axiom, we don’t just deliver design concepts. We deliver transformation. Our approach combines in-depth discovery, evidence-based planning, and precise execution. From uncovering how your people work, to implementing changes that improve engagement and productivity, we work as true partners at every stage. With decades of experience and a proven methodology, we ensure that every project delivers measurable results and long-term value for your business.

Creating a Sustainable Office Space: Practical Ideas for Workplace Sustainability

At Axiom Workplaces, we believe that a sustainable office space goes beyond eco-friendly materials. it’s about making conscious choices that enhance efficiency, wellbeing, and environmental responsibility. From implementing energy-saving technologies to encouraging green commuting and mindful resource use, there are countless sustainable office ideas that help transform your workplace into a hub of innovation and care. Workplace sustainability starts with small steps, but the impact grows over time creating a culture where your team and the planet thrive together.

There are lots of reasons to consider implementing sustainable practices in your business. Not only is it good for the environment, but it can reduce overheads in the form of energy costs, improve the health and satisfaction of your staff, and attract customers looking to do business with likeminded brands. Here are some simple changes that will make your office more environmentally sustainable.

1. Go Paperless

Many organisations are well on their way to becoming paperless, but for some businesses, cutting out paper completely isn’t an option. If this is the case, make sure you recycle all paper and change the settings on your network so that paper is printed on both sides. If your company data is sensitive, look for a shredding company that offers a service where the paper is recycled once the information has been destroyed.

Of course, digital documents are easier and more affordable to store and retrieve. They reduce clutter in the office and if your business is in the cloud, the documents can be accessed from anywhere. It’s also a more secure way to run your business, should disaster strike. If you do need to print on paper, make sure you buy recycled paper from sustainable sources and use draft or toner-saving modes for internal printing that doesn’t need to be high quality. Don’t forget the paper towels in the bathroom—hand dryers can be a more hygienic, affordable and sustainable option.

2. Reuse & Recycle

Recycling is one of the easiest ways to make your office more environmentally friendly. Simply set up recycling bins around the office, with dedicated bins for glass, paper and plastics if your building collects these separately. Ink cartridges can be collected by Planet Ark, while electronic waste such as old monitors, printers, computers and cables can be dropped off at your nearest Tech Collect for recycling. If your coffee machine uses pods, recycle your capsules to avoid adding to the landfill toll.

Try to look for ways to reuse items, such as replacing disposable kitchen items with crockery and steel cutlery, or promoting the use of reusable mugs for the morning coffee run. You can also encourage employees to collect paper that’s only been printed on one side and use it as a notebook.

3. Reduce Energy

Reducing the electricity bill is not only good for the environment, but also for your bottom line. Here are some quick and easy ways to save energy in the office:

• make sure your office temperature is the right balance of comfort and cost, by setting the thermostat a few degrees lower in winter and a few degrees higher in summer
• walk around the office and see which areas are being heated or cooled unnecessarily, such as storage areas
• install energy efficient light globes in the office and consider sensor lighting for bathrooms and other places that don’t need to be constantly lit
• switch off TVs, lights and equipment when they’re not being used and disable screen savers—computers screens should go to sleep when they’re not in use
• close applications that you don’t use regularly on your computer and change the setting so they don’t open on login
• use laptops instead of desktops as they use less energy
• turn down the brightness setting on your computer screen to a level that’s both comfortable and energy efficient.
  
  

4. Add Plants

Adding some greenery to your office can do more than brighten up your office interior design. Psychologists at Exeter University found that employees are happier and perform better when living plants are added to the workplace, with a 15% increase in productivity and significant improvements in memory retention and other basic tests.

Plants also emit oxygen and reduce air pollution, making the air in your workplace cleaner and healthier to breathe. It can also reduce noise pollution, which is particularly important in an open-plan workplace. Try to use pot plants evenly around the office, so everyone can enjoy the benefits of nature.

5. Choose Sustainable Suppliers

Many suppliers understand that customers are looking for green products, so look at what your business purchases on a regular basis and see if there’s a more sustainable option. This may include natural bathroom or kitchen products, biodegradable cleaning products and recycled stationery.

Think about how far the products travel to reach you and see if there’s a local business offering a similar product to reduce your carbon footprint. Before procuring services, ask whether they have an environmental policy in place or relevant ISO certifications. Gaining accreditation through the Green Building Council of Australia can also let your customers know that you’re committed to maintaining a sustainable workplace.

As well as providing a more sustainable office, smart workplace design can also create spaces that promote wellness and wellbeing at work. Learn more in our eBook: The fundamental of wellness and wellbeing in workplace design.

Or, to learn more about sustainability in the workplace contact our expert consultants today.

Enhancing Office Sustainability: What Modern Workplaces Need Sustainability in the Office: A Smarter Way to Work

Workplace sustainability is no longer just a nice-to-have it’s now a key part of how modern offices operate. A sustainable workplace doesn’t only help the environment; it also supports staff wellbeing, reduces energy costs, and strengthens your brand image. At Axiom Workplaces, we’ve seen how sustainability in the office leads to real improvements across people, process, and performance.

Creating a more environmentally friendly office can begin with simple changes. Encouraging digital work to reduce paper use, switching to energy-efficient lighting, and engaging suppliers with eco-conscious values are all examples of sustainable work practices. These shifts lead to better results for your team and the planet.

Designing for a Sustainable Workplace

The best sustainable office design blends style with purpose. This might include integrating natural light, using recycled materials, or adding indoor plants to clean the air and improve focus. Smart layouts and low-energy equipment are also key parts of sustainable workplace solutions that reduce waste and long-term operating costs.

An eco-friendly office layout makes it easier for teams to form healthy habits. Features like shared spaces, comfortable breakout areas, and easy access to recycling points all contribute to better routines. Over time, these simple design decisions support a stronger culture of sustainability in an office environment.

Ideas That Support Workplace Sustainability

If you're looking for sustainability ideas for office improvements, start by thinking about how your workplace runs each day. Are your processes paper-heavy? Could your team benefit from greener commuting options? Are cleaning products and kitchen supplies sourced locally and responsibly?

Real change happens through consistent, practical steps. Switching to local suppliers can reduce your carbon footprint. Installing hand dryers instead of paper towels cuts down on waste. Promoting reusable coffee cups and office mugs helps reduce single-use plastics. These are all sustainable practices in the workplace that cost little but offer long-term benefits.

Improving Workplace Sustainability Over Time

To improve sustainability in the workplace, focus on three things: awareness, accessibility, and accountability. Make sustainable options easy to follow and keep your team informed on why it matters. Offering sustainability training or posting reminders near recycling areas can reinforce eco-conscious habits.

If you’re planning an office renovation, factor in sustainable workplace design early in the process. That includes choosing energy-efficient HVAC systems, opting for low-impact materials, and creating flexible spaces that evolve with your team. A growing number of companies are investing in sustainable office spaces because they support both current operations and future growth.

Sustainability That Works for People and the Planet

At Axiom Workplaces, we believe sustainable offices should reflect your values, support your team, and reduce your impact. Whether you're gathering green tips for the office or exploring sustainability in office design, the key is to stay consistent. Every improvement matters from saving energy to reusing resources.

Your office can become a real example of environmental sustainability in the workplace. When you commit to better practices, the impact is visible across staff engagement, operating costs, and your reputation as a responsible business. A sustainable workplace isn’t just good for the earth, it's better for business too.

Conclusion

Sustainability in the workplace isn’t just about being environmentally responsible, it's about creating an office that’s smarter, healthier, and more efficient. Whether you're reducing paper use, saving energy, or rethinking your office layout, small actions can lead to lasting change. Every step you take towards a more eco-friendly office helps your team, your budget, and the planet.

At the end of the day, a sustainable office supports better business. It shows your staff and customers that you care and that you're thinking ahead.
Why Choose Axiom Workplaces?
At Axiom Workplaces, we design offices that go beyond good looks and we build workspaces that perform. Our team understands how to blend sustainability with functionality, helping your business reduce its environmental impact while boosting wellbeing and productivity.

We don’t offer one-size-fits-all solutions. We take the time to understand your goals and create a sustainable office design that fits your culture, values, and future plans. From green materials to energy-smart layouts, we’ll guide you through every step.
Choose Axiom if you want a workplace that reflects your commitment to sustainability and sets your team up for long-term success.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Sustainability in the Workplace: Going Green with Purpose

Sustainability in the workplace is more than just a trend—it's a commitment to long-term environmental responsibility. By adopting sustainable work practices, organisations can significantly reduce their ecological footprint while creating healthier, more efficient work environments. The benefits of sustainable work practices include cost savings, improved employee well-being, and a positive brand image.

Environmental sustainability in the workplace involves conscious efforts such as reducing waste, conserving energy, and sourcing eco-friendly materials. Going green in the workplace doesn't have to be complicated—start with small changes. Here are 5 examples of environmental sustainability in the workplace that demonstrate: using energy-efficient lighting, implementing recycling programs, encouraging digital documentation, promoting carpooling or public transport, and choosing sustainable office supplies.

Understanding what sustainability in the workplace means is the first step toward creating a greener, more responsible business.

What is a green workplace?

According to the Green Building Council of Australia: “Green Buildings incorporate design, construction and operational practices that significantly reduce or eliminate its negative impact on the environment and its occupants”.

The aim of a Green Building is to reduce the overall environmental impact or ecological footprint of a building or office, during construction and over the life of the building through ‘built-in’ sustainability.

Building green is an opportunity to use resources efficiently while creating healthier environments for people to live and work in. Examples of building green include:

• Reducing the use of material resources, waste & environmental degradation
• Reducing pollution of air, earth and water in material sourcing & manufacturing, during construction and over the life cycle of the building
• Reducing damage to natural systems & bio-diversity
• Efficient energy, water & resources
• Providing high quality & healthy productive spaces, utilising elements such as natural light and responsive heating/cooling measures

These can all be linked to the principles of sustainable development which a green or sustainable building should reflect: environmental protection, economic development and social development.

How to reduce your office environmental footprint

Reducing your environmental footprint is at the heart of going green in the workplace. These actions help minimise energy waste, lower energy use, cut operational costs, and create a healthier environment for your people.

Here are pro-active things you can do:

Reduce the amount of energy & water usage in your office

• Use sensors to control lights in low use areas & timers for after office hours
• Utilise energy efficient light bulbs
• Utilise natural light/daylighting to its full potential where possible in your office
• Use recycled water for bathrooms
• Look into rainwater storage options on your building
• Encourage water saving practices in common areas of your workplace, e.g. kitchens

Minimise waste during construction & building operations

• Incorporate recycled and/or responsibly produced materials into your building/office design (check ethical production registers for provenance)
• Only order the necessary amount of material & responsibly dispose of any excess
• Consider the heating & cooling of your office space during construction
• Use sufficient insulation to reduce the need for artificial temperature controls thus reducing energy costs
• Increase natural ventilation when building your office space through consideration of window placement, etc.

Use green power

• Research the possibility of creating onsite generation of renewable energy sources such as solar & wind power
• Design for disassembly & material re-use
• Consider the future of the products and materials you are using and how they may be reused in your office space as time goes on

Utilise furnishing & fittings with non-toxic off-gassing

• Off-gassing is the release of a gas that was trapped, dissolved or absorbed in some material. There are concerns that in closed environments some industrial products can produce gases that may be harmful to human health.
• Be sure to research the origins and make-up of your materials to ensure a healthy atmosphere in your workplace

Consider parking & transport to your office location

• Aim to promote use of public transport if choosing a new office location
• Offer storage facilities to encourage use of other modes of transport, e.g. bicycle racks

Benefits of a sustainable workplace

The ROI of going green is now well established. Buildings and offices are seeing measurable benefits across a range of areas, including reduced expenditure, workforce productivity and staff engagement.

Recent studies have shown that green workplaces:

• Reduce the average sick days per employee
• Reduce sick leave costs
• Improved productivity
• Increase job satisfaction
• Talent retention

Some research suggests that as many as 91% of millennials would switch to use a company or brand based on its commitment to social good and investment in things like sustainability. With this pillar so vital to an organisation’s success, it pays to engineer your business environment in a way that’s good for both the planet, and your bottom line.

As well as providing a more sustainable office, smart workplace design can also create spaces that promote wellness and wellbeing at work. Learn more in our eBook: The fundamental of wellness and wellbeing in workplace design.

Technology has transformed the workplace and had a powerful impact on employee satisfaction, productivity and efficiency. Enterprise networks, mobile devices and cloud computing, in particular, mean that work is no longer a place we go: it’s what we can do – wherever. Here are a few ways technology trends are profoundly changing how and where we work.

Working remotely

Today, people no longer work solely from a single, ‘corporate’ office. They work from home, cafés, co-working spaces, meetings, public transport and while travelling.

Advances in secure corporate networking and cloud-based applications mean employees can work anywhere, anytime, from any device. This has led to increased productivity, reduced commuting stresses, greater flexibility and thus higher employee satisfaction – along with improved business operations.

Workplace flexibility

The right technology enables staff flexibility, leading to enhanced collaboration and productivity. There’s no longer a ‘one size fits all’ approach, where all employees must use the same technology; today’s working environment must identify the needs of individual roles and deliver the technology they need to do the job.

Different teams have different needs, so it’s important to consider the technology to best enable them. By giving employees the right tools to do their job more effectively, you’re creating a positive workplace culture and empowering them to take control of the way they work.

Employee mobility

The days of waiting until you get back to the office to complete tasks are long gone. Employees need to be able to access, edit, print, share, search and send information from wherever they are. Think about your technology and consider whether it measures up to today’s standards. Is it mobile-friendly and easily accessible on any device?

Consider the needs of your employees first, then the technology you need to support those needs. Think about where your employees will be working, what information they’ll need to access and who they’ll be collaborating with. The ability to be able to work from anywhere without compromising productivity is as important for your employees’ satisfaction as it is for you. New talent in the market considers mobility a given, so make sure you’re winning and keeping the best by empowering them to work the way they choose.

Virtual teams

More and more, companies are creating teams across geographic boundaries. Shared workspaces, social enterprise platforms and multi-point video conferencing make it easier for distributed teams to collaborate on tasks and deliver cost-effective opportunities for training and education.

Connection is a critical element of developing distributed teams. You’ll need to have robust systems in place and provide top internet speeds, otherwise your employees will spend more time connecting and processing, and less time communicating. Choosing the best technology for your virtual teams does not necessarily mean using the latest platform or the one with the most features. It’s all about ensuring it will best support your employees and business operations.

Looking to drive employee satisfaction and efficiency through technology? We develop strategies to align technology with your workplace design, to help your employees stay productive wherever they are. Get in touch to find out more about our technology solutions or read our Progressive Leaders Guide To The Future Of Work.