Environmentally Sustainable Work Practices For Two Key Procedures

Analysis of the two key procedures

Discuss about the Environmentally Sustainable Work Practices for the Two Key Procedures.

The number of natural resources in the earth is dwindling down due to population explosion. Consequently, sustainable methods need to be applied to our conventional ways of working with natural resources so that the pressure on such resources decreases. It is imperative that the people make use of the resources judiciously and incur minimum wastage. This approach is called sustainability and it will ensure that the resources are reserved for the future generation. There are certain duties or provisions which are considered as essential functions in the workplace, that is, the restaurant. Two of the most important duties comprise the following:

Local food: In the past the people were more or less dependent on the seasonal produce. Food crops were produced and consumed according to seasons. Conversely, in today’s age of technological advancement, different kinds of food can be procured from different parts of the earth. However, innovative ways of production and preservation and refrigerators have ensured regular supply of different varieties of food. On the other hand, this has lead to the creation of carbon footprints which is harmful for the environment. In order to promote sustainability, food that is produced locally should be used in a restaurant ("Sustainable food tips | Green Hotels | Green Hotelier", 2016).

Water: According to recent surveys, clean drinking water is inaccessible to about 1 billion people all around the world. The reason behind this deficit is the imprudent manner of usage of water. Water is being wasted every moment in some form or the other ("UN-Water: Statistics", 2016). This deficit is mainly noticed in the third world countries. Hence it becomes imperative that actions are directed towards the proper usage of this priceless natural resource.  The restaurants, nowadays, have adopted the use of tap water instead of bottled waters to promote sustainability and save this resource. ("Sustainable food tips | Green Hotels | Green Hotelier", 2016).

Figure 1: Process map for transported food

Source: (As created by the author)

Figure 2: Process map for water

Source: (As created by the author)

Resources used	Wastes generated	Environmental impact
Fertilizers	Too much usage of fertilizers.	Excessive fertilizers lead to land and water pollution.
Preservatives like nitrites and sodium benzoate	Excessive usage of preservatives to maintain the freshness of food.	Preservatives, when used in excess, lead to the formation of carcinogenic elements.
Aluminum or steel cans with an inner coating of Biphenyl A	Biphenyl A interacts with the food contained in the can.	Biphenyl A is toxic for human health.
Cardboard/paper	Cardboard wastage.	Cardboard is non biodegradable resource which causes land pollution.
Electricity	Electricity is used in transportation of packaged food to various malls and markets.	Electricity is produced with the help of non renewable resources like coal. Excessive usage leads to over usage of such precious natural resources.
Water	Water is wasted while packaging.	The amount of safe, drinking water has decreased around the world.

Resources used	Method of measurement
Fertilizers	Fertilizers should be used according to the requirements of the crops as well as the composition of the soil and is measured in percentage.
Preservatives	The preservatives are subject to pre-market assessment procedures or their safety in their usage.
Aluminum / Biphenyl	Measured in percentage, it is generally believed that cans contain Bisphenyl as its inner coating as well as those without ie, is equally harmful for human health.
Cardboard/ Paper	The cardboard paper used was used in excess when its weight was measured.
Electricity	Meter reading.
Water	Meter reading

	Day 1	Day 2	Day 3	Day 4	Day 5	Total
Fertilizers	50 kg	Not required	Not required	Not required	Not required	50 kg
Preservatives	150 p.p.m.	100 p.p.m.	120 p.p.m.	120 p.p.m.	120 p.p.m.	610 p.p.m.
Aluminum/Biphenyl (in %)	50	60	50	45	30	25
Cardboard/paper	50 pack	40 pack	60 pack	35pack	80 pack	53 pack
Electricity (kw)	41253	52463	42536	58795	45263	39kw
Water (kl)	4253	4986	4123	4523	4155	4kL

Background Information:

The work processes:

Water conservation: Water has always been used generously in my workplace as there always has been a demand for hygienic cleaning. The excessive water is used for cleaning the workplace properly. Hence, the amount of water used is above the normal level. Consequently, there is a need to reduce water consumption as it has an adverse impact on the environment as well as the budget of the workplace (Abrahamse and Steg, 2013). It has become imperative in the workplace to spread awareness among us regarding the issue of water conservation. Punishments like extra work after the scheduled working hours are meted out to those who fail to comply with the rules and regulations of the workplace.

Process maps for the processes chosen

Chemical cleaning conservation: One of the most important works that is done in the workplace is cleaning up of the workplace at the end of the day (Lê et al., 2013). Cleaning is done with the help of chemical cleaners or sprays. We keep a record of the cleaners by keeping a count on the bottles used. This procedure helps in keeping tabs over the usage of the cleaners. We make efforts to reduce the number of bottles used every week and we encourage the lower usage of such bottles by giving rewards.

Execution of the work processes:

There never has been any particular way of controlling the usage of the stocks in our workplace. However, we have maintained a record of the purchases we made on regular basis. This procedure has helped in making us aware of the amount of supplies we are using. We are aware of the fact that any misuse of products will lead to wastage. Therefore, we have set a goal for ourselves that we would allow minimal wastage and maximum utilization of the products.

Potentiality for improvement:

A strict system is adopted to maintain the sustainable methods that we adopted at our workplace. In the beginning, the system proved to be difficult for us to follow as it disrupted the normal work procedures. However, with time, the system was followed without a hitch and no problems were further encountered in the workplace.

Summarization of the outcomes:

The system at our workplace is very well organized and well maintained. The maintenance of the system requires the presence of a good team (Jasiulewicz-Kaczmarek & Drożyner 2013). The screening process of team members is made strict which ensures that only reliable candidates are chosen for the team. The screening process is being adopted so that the team maintains the standard. We consult with each other and share our opinions and suggestions as we are directed towards the common goal, that is, the improvement of the workplace. We are a responsible team and we intend to make the workplace a better place through our efforts. We try to use innovative systems for our workplace. We adopted certain minor changes in our workplace which were easier for us to assimilate into our work culture.

Description of the changes:

We had brought about improvements in our menu as well as the design. The layout of the menu is kept neat and clean and the requisite information should be provided in a better manner. we make it a point that we listen to the feedback of  the customers and on the basis of that information, we make suitable changes. With the help of the survey we conducted on the customers, we came to the conclusion that the menu did not contain any new food items in the menu. The customers were actually bored with the existing menu. Hence, we changed our strategies and made some new food items with the help of the existing equipments. The new menu was made with accordance to the season. Since the current season was winter, there was a high demand for hot foods and heaters. This kind of improvements would increase the footfalls at the restaurant and we would be able to address the demands of the customers effectively.

Identification of the resources used

The outcomes of the changes:

 

Figure 3: Performance chart of the employees

Source: (As created by the author)                               

As evident from the chart given above, the improvements have brought about a significant change in the satisfaction of the customers. The flow of customers has increased and they had given a positive feedback on the basis of our services and the food. Time played a major role in the whole procedure as we had not made public the changes as such. We had to rely on the customers to realize the changes for themselves. With the passage of time, our efforts bore the prize. As the customers discovered the changes they came up with an affirmative review.

Evaluation of the strategies and improvement plans:

The evaluation of the strategies requires the knowledge of the customer needs and demands. On the basis of the information collected, we can plan our strategies and policies. In the whole procedure, we also made use of our creative ideas. A change in perspective brought about the necessary changes and the changes paid off in an effective manner.

Achievements of the plans:

The intended outcomes were achieved as we were aware of the needs of the customers and our own innovative ideas and accordingly made the changes.

Problems with the plans or strategies used:

We faced some problems in the adjustment of the budget due to the changes that we brought about. Improvements in the food and the equipments incurred some amount of money which was originally included in the budget.

Recommendation of modifications in the work place:

Any workplace should be open to changes for improvements (Appelbaum, 2013). The major improvement which occurred to our workplace was the change in the menu. Seasonal foods were given importance in our menu. Some of the food items did not receive the desired response. The winter season made sure that we use foods which were warm and wanted by the customers. We also have to make sure that the menu comprises a wide range of food items. This change has to be brought keeping in mind that the customers who will be coming to the restaurant will belong to different sections of society. There should be premium food items to those who have the power of affording such food. There should also be food items with lower costs to enable people with lower budgets to opt for our restaurant.

Recommendations for incentives:

The meals for the stuff are quite limited since it involves complication in its preparation. However, there should be room for improvement in the staff food on the basis of our wishes. This stance would enable the staff to comply with sustainable changes that were brought about in the workplace. The percentage in tips should also be adjusted to increase the efficiency of the service provided.

New efficiency targets:

It has come to notice that the staff gets leisure time in their hands while waiting for the customers to arrive. It should be made sure that the staff should use this free time as effectively as possible. The spare time should not be used in fruitless conservations which could otherwise be used in doing meaningful tasks (Parry et al., 2013). The staff should know that the employers pay the employees and has some expectations from them. The staff should be engaged in doing some kind of work instead of whiling away his time. Incentives in the form of rewards should be awarded to those who effectively and efficiently work in the restaurant.

References:

Sustainable food tips | Green Hotels | Green Hotelier. (2016). Greenhotelier.org. Retrieved 30 August 2016, from https://www.greenhotelier.org/our-themes/community-communication-engagement/sustainability-in-the-kitchen-food-drink/

UN-Water: Statistics. (2016). Unwater.org. Retrieved 31 August 2016, from https://www.unwater.org/statistics/en/?page=5&ipp=10&tx_dynalist_pi1%5Bpar%5D=YToxOntzOjE6IkwiO3M6MDoiIjt9

Abrahamse, W., & Steg, L. (2013). Social influence approaches to encourage resource conservation: a meta-analysis. Global environmental change, 23(6), 1773-1785.

Lê, L. M. M., Jolivot, P. A., Yaye, H. S., Rieutord, A., Bellanger, A., Pradeau, D., ... & Caudron, E. (2013). Effectiveness of cleaning of workplace cytotoxic surface. International archives of occupational and environmental health, 86(3), 333-341.

Jasiulewicz-Kaczmarek, M., & Drożyner, P. (2013, July). Social dimension of sustainable development–safety and ergonomics in maintenance activities. In International Conference on Universal Access in Human-Computer Interaction (pp. 175-184). Springer Berlin Heidelberg.

Parry, S., Straker, L., Gilson, N. D., & Smith, A. J. (2013). Participatory workplace interventions can reduce sedentary time for office workers—a randomised controlled trial. PLoS One, 8(11), e78957.

Appelbaum, E. (2013). The impact of new forms of work organization on workers. Work and Employment in the High Performance Workplace, 120.