Offer for If employees: set up your home office with recycled or new equipment
In the photo: Rikke Hadbjerg, Product Owner & Engagement Manager at If Denmark, in her home office.
When If employees were offered the opportunity to buy equipment for their home offices, some employees immediately asked whether they could buy used equipment to support sustainability. If decided to make a technical accounting adjustment and fulfilled the wish.
When If launched a new hybrid work model in 2021, an offer was made to all employees: spend a certain amount to set up a proper ergonomic workstation in your home to ensure a great working environment. Several employees immediately asked whether they could use the grant to buy used equipment.
– For many employees, sustainability considerations govern their everyday decisions and choices. Some would rather buy used items than new. Of course, we should be able to meet that wish, while at the same time ensuring compliance with the applicable rules for workplaces, says Marketta Helokunnas, Head of Nordic Employment Relations and HR Compliance at If.
Two obstacles were given top priority, and were resolved within a short time:
- A receipt for accounting purposes, which the buyer and seller must fill in together.
- A technical adjustment in the accounting portal so that it became possible to register the purchase of used equipment.
If supports sustainable behaviour
By the end of 2021, 41 % of employees (corresponding to 3,500 people) had used the company offer to set up an ergonomic home office. Of these, 350 prioritised recycling and bought used furniture.
– For If, the most important thing is to support sustainable behaviour. Many people have been inspired by their colleagues’ purchases, resulting in lots of positive discussions about recycling and sustainability. We believe that these 350 colleagues have planted a lot of seeds, says Marketta Helokunnas.
There is so much for sale that is almost like new
Rikke Hadbjerg is one of If’s employees who has used the company’s solution and set up an ergonomic home office, paid for by If. Rikke works as Product Owner & Engagement Manager at If Denmark. In an average week, she works from home for 3 days and from If's Head Office in Hvidovre for 2 days.
Rikke is one of the If employees who prefers recycling.
– In general, I buy a lot of pre-used things. There is so much for sale that is almost like new. The items I have been looking for were very expensive as new so, by buying used, I could afford to buy items I would not otherwise have been able to. So there was no reason that the items had to be new.
Rikke bought an ergonomic office chair and an ergonomic rollermouse for her home office.
– I think it is ingenious that If offers employees the opportunity to buy both new and used equipment. In that way, everyone is considered. Being allowed to buy used equipment made it possible for me to buy more and better equipment for the same amount of money.
And not least, the environment has been spared, and the world avoids the unnecessary exploitation of resources. I also believe it shows that If is a modern company that manages to adjust, she says.
Marketta Helokunnas
Head of Nordic Employment Relations and HR Compliance, Turku
Rikke Hadbjerg
Channel Engagement Manager, Copenhagen
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