Senior managers aren't doing enough to create a sustainable workplace, according to a new survey. Sustainability at Work ran a survey of 1,043 Australians, the majority of them office workers, in May 2011. The report found that even those who were engaged in positive sustainable activities at home were not performing the same at work. 77% of those surveyed believed their environmental performance was 'good' or 'very good' at home, while only 57.5% said the same of their performance at work. The survey revealed that overwhelmingly, Australian workers thought change needed to come from the top.

"Of those surveyed, 54% wanted better systems and 53% wanted stronger commitment from management to sustainability. Visual reminders, rewards and recognition also ranked highly," said director of Sustainability at Work, Tania Crosbie. Organisations were found to be lacking in introducing sustainability policies. Only a third of those surveyed were confident their company had a sustainability policy, while only 12% said their company had a sustainability induction program and sustainability reporting. "There is a real opportunity for organisations to leverage employee behaviour at home and inject it into the organisational culture. In doing so, they will close the gap between expectation and actual behaviour in the workplace," said fellow director of Sustainability at Work, Melissa Houghton. The majority of respondents even said that their workplaces were affecting their productivity, as 75% said their workspace contributed to adverse health effects like headaches, fatigue and eyestrain. Houghton explained that negative indoor environment quality, due to a building's poor environmental performance, can often lead to health problems. "Health and well-being of staff plays an important role in workplace productivity - which in turn affects the long-term sustainability of an organisation. Even minor complaints can have a damaging effect on performance and workplace morale," she said. "Understanding current attitudes and behaviours towards sustainability in both the workplace and at home can provide insights and a platform for organisations to make meaningful changes that improve their workers' productivity and morale, and improve their corporate brands," said Crosbie.