Flexible working brings benefits for the environment

Anyone who breathes the air in Central at rush-hour knows that traditional working practices are not good for the environment. It's no secret that Hong Kong's vehicle emissions pollute our air and worsen commuters' health.

The extent of the problem is more startling – according to the Hedley Environmental Index that tracks the city's air pollution and is run by the University of Hong Kong, the tangible cost of healthcare and lost productivity in 2011 was HK$3.89 billion (US$499 million), while the total economic loss was estimated to be far higher, at HK$42.45 billion (US$5.44 billion). According to the Index, the health effects of Hong Kong's air pollution in July 2012 alone included 154 premature deaths, 7,118 hospital bed days and 324,690 visits to doctors. Hong Kong is a small place, and we can't afford this.

The problem will intensify, and not just in Hong Kong. According to the United Nations, around 3 billion people live in urban areas. By 2050, 6.5 billion will do so. Imagine the length of the traffic jams in 2050 if city-dwellers continue to commute to work.

Fortunately, they probably won’t do this in 2050 – in fact, technology already makes it unnecessary to work every day in a fixed office. Cloud computing, smartphones and tablets offer Hong Kong professionals greater flexibility to work where it suits them – at different offices, at home, on the move, or at co-working hubs and business lounges in locations close to their homes.

Businesses understand that giving staff flexibility over when and where they work can cut real estate costs; it can also boost productivity. 75% of local companies that have adopted flexible working practices said in a recent Regus study that they are more productive as a result.

Shorter travel times
One way that flexible working benefits the environment by cutting travel. Letting staff use workspace closer to residential areas reduces commuting, whilst using flexible workspaces close to key contacts or airports cuts the distances staff travel in the course of their work.

As well as slashing vehicle emissions, this frees up time for more important things – like revenue-generating activity or time with family. Asked what their ideal commuting time would be, 63.5% of people said they would like a commute of 20 minutes or less.

The average Hong Kong commute takes about a third longer than this, at 29.2 minutes. As well as lost productivity, it's easy to see how this contributes to air pollution – particularly if that 29.2 minutes is spent sitting in an air conditioned private car. Clearly, flexible working could have a positive effect here.

Less wasted space
Flexible workspaces and co-working spaces also contribute to energy-efficiency by making better use of office space. Occupancy in the typical leased office is around 50%, as meeting rooms and desks sit unused for much of the day. When you leave the office for a two-hour meeting, this empty space is still lit and air-conditioned.

In contrast, flexible workspaces and co-working hubs tend to have higher usage levels – Regus has typical occupancy rates of 80-90%. This is inherently more sustainable because it means less empty space being cooled, heated or lit.

Change – for example, rising vehicle ownership, or the rapidly growing economy in southern Guangdong province – has come hand-in-hand with environmental problems. But change can also solve them.

New technology enables mobile working, that reduces daily commuting. Cloud computing makes more efficient use of resources in power-hungry data centres. But the full potential of these changes to make our working lives more sustainable will never be realised unless technological innovations are accompanied by a shift in attitudes towards working in less traditional ways.

The combination of the two, however, could bring about a real improvement to Hong Kong's notorious traffic congestion and air pollution.