Your office is drowning in excess supplies. How do you address a colleague who's causing the waste?
Dealing with a colleague who's causing supply waste can be tricky, but it's essential to address it for the team's efficiency and sustainability. Here's how you can approach the issue:
What strategies have you found effective in reducing office supply waste?
Your office is drowning in excess supplies. How do you address a colleague who's causing the waste?
Dealing with a colleague who's causing supply waste can be tricky, but it's essential to address it for the team's efficiency and sustainability. Here's how you can approach the issue:
What strategies have you found effective in reducing office supply waste?
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Centralise purchasing or at least centralise an asset registry; if you have no visual of the procurement and by whom it's done, people will always go rogue
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As a leader, I would address the issue as a team-wide opportunity to improve efficiency and reduce waste. I’d begin by bringing the team together to share observations about the excess supplies and how they impact budgets and workplace organization. Rather than focusing on any individual, I’d encourage an open discussion to identify potential causes and collectively brainstorm solutions. Implementing a centralized system for tracking supply usage and ordering, along with setting clear guidelines, would ensure the team is aligned. Recognizing and celebrating progress toward waste reduction could further motivate the group and reinforce shared responsibility.
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1. High absenteeism 2. Excessive use of paper 3. Mounting storage costs 4. Too many departmental purchases 5. Playing favourites with suppliers 6. Prioritizing price over quality 7. Failure to implement beneficial software 8. Poor project management 9. Too much outsourcing
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