5 ways to turn your employees' eco-anxiety into a powerful call to action

As we become ever more aware of growing eco and climate crises, the number of people experiencing eco-anxiety is on the rise. Data released by Google in 2023 showed a surge in searches around the term, while surveys consistently point to an increase, especially among young people. 

Like climate anxiety, eco-anxiety encompasses feelings of fear, overwhelm and stress as a response to the climate crisis, as well as wider environmental issues. If you’re managing purpose-led employees, there’s a chance they may be struggling with feelings associated with the phenomenon. 

It’s important to create a culture where anything that negatively impacts your employee wellbeing is respectfully handled and not exacerbated. In the case of eco-anxiety, one of the most powerful ways to help your team navigate these feelings is transforming them into a motivating force for sustainability efforts. 

As one climate expert told Time, “The single best antidote for climate anxiety is action.” 

Reframing eco-anxiety and privilege

Taking action starts with recognising the privileged position those of us experiencing eco-anxiety in the Global North are in. 

For the most part, we’re yet to feel tangible impacts of the climate crisis and other forms of environmental crises. Often, we’re anxious about what’s to come or what we see happening in other parts of the world, in the news and on social media. 

But these crises are already a reality in many communities in the Global South. Extreme weather events and environmental degradation are wreaking havoc in this region, from devastating flooding in Brazil to East Africa’s worst drought in 40 years. 

People face unimaginable challenges and upheaval, with livelihoods often impacted and many displaced from their homes. They don’t have the privilege of waiting and worrying about the future, despite the Global South bearing less responsibility for human-made climate change. 

Even within the Global North, environmental issues are not equal: marginalised communities are disproportionately affected. We see this in London’s air pollution problem. A 2023 report highlighted the “shocking difference in air quality breathed by London communities”, with Black Londoners and diaspora communities more likely to live in areas with more polluted air. 

The ruling that air pollution was a factor in the death of nine-year-old Black girl Ella Adoo-Kissi-Debrah starkly revealed the very real, damaging impact this is having on people’s health. 

The psychological distress of experiencing environmental disasters

Living through environmental disasters and upheaval comes with its own mental health impacts. After researching flooding, the CIWEM reported, “We did not find that people who have been flooded are more likely to experience climate anxiety. That comes more through the media than through direct experience. 

“But there’s good evidence to link extreme events and mental health impacts. Floods and storms that disrupt your life and damage your home can lead to PTSD, depression and anxiety.”

A more appropriate term to use here might be solastalgia. Coined by environmentalist Glenn Albrecht, this refers to the psychological distress that occurs in a native population following destructive changes in their home environment. 

Turning eco-anxiety into motivation

Pointing out the privilege connected to eco-anxiety isn’t a call to belittle employees with a judgemental “what do you have to complain about” attitude. 

Instead, it’s a way to reframe the narrative: we have the opportunity and resources to act, to protect our future and support those suffering right now from climate impacts. By looking at the global picture, we can lean into empathy and compassion. And that can help us turn the apathy and burnout of eco-anxiety into climate action. 

Research from psychologist Dr Sarah Lowe serves as evidence of the positive impact this can have on managing eco-anxiety. She told the Guardian, “What we found was that climate change anxiety was associated with higher depression symptoms only for those students who were not engaged in collective action. For those who were engaged in collective action, climate change anxiety was actually not associated with depression.”

How to take employees from eco-anxiety to eco-action

So, how can you facilitate collective action in the workplace? It’s about creating opportunities for your employees to collaborate and contribute to climate or sustainability initiatives. Here are five ways to do that.

Create spaces to connect, discuss and plan

Bring people together through an employee-led forum or network dedicated to sustainability. This can be a space for your team to discuss and plan the company’s green commitments and initiatives, making them feel heard and proactive. 

At Envato, a world-leading online community for creative assets and tools, the Greener Good Sustainability Committee collaborates on a range of projects, events and methods of advocacy. Their mission is to minimise the company’s environmental impact and inspire greener habits among the team. 

Outcomes have included sponsoring a beehive programme, establishing sustainable procurement practices and supporting the company to go carbon neutral. It’s clear to see the committee adds value to the company, as well as being a way for employees to engage in climate action. 

Join the movement 

Help employees feel part of collective action on a larger scale by taking things beyond the office and into the wider climate activism movement. 

Partner with organisations or campaigns that have an environmental mission, finding ways for your team to contribute to their initiatives in a hands-on way. They could volunteer, attend events or organise fundraising activities. 

One community you might like to team up with is Creatives for Climate. This 40,000-strong network of entrepreneurs, employees and climate leaders is dedicated to developing and applying its creative skills as a collective force for good.

Making a tangible difference outside their usual role and connecting with others working towards a sustainable future will give your team a greater sense of fulfilment and hope. 

There’s a world-famous precedent for stepping outside your everyday routine to channel eco-anxiety into meaningful environmental action – Greta Thunberg. She kicked off a global movement, Fridays For Future, with her weekly school strike back in 2018. On a personal level, campaigning made her feel “much happier,” according to her dad.  

Reward sustainable actions

Rewards for sustainable actions could look like incentives for green habits, such as taking sustainable transport to work or bringing in plant-based lunches. Or celebrating role models, like a green employee of the month. 

This doesn’t only generate a positive buzz around sustainable actions. It also keeps up momentum by encouraging repeated, long-lasting behaviour change. 

If you’re not sure where to start with this, there are resources and tools out there to help. Like Giki’s bespoke app-based sustainability challenges, which inspire employee engagement and healthy competition in the office.

For example, they designed the Sustainability Games for Adobe and their partners. It included activities around lifestyle themes such as food, fashion and family, as well as gamification elements like league tables. 

Offer green skills training

Green skills training empowers your employees to take greater action within their roles. It helps you build a more resilient business too – as ESG challenges become ever more pressing, these skills are an invaluable addition to your workforce. 

The specific type of training will depend on your business, individual job roles and the impact you want to create. But a few ideas include carbon literacy training, which is geared towards understanding and reducing emissions, and ESG compliance training for developing sound sustainable practices. 

This is definitely not just for those in sustainability-related roles. It can be useful in different ways across the business. Recruitment is just one example, as Laura Yeates from the Sustainable Recruitment Alliance explains in our article on ethical onboarding. Sustainability literacy training helps recruiters plan green hiring strategies, which also makes you a more attractive employer. Win-win. 

Commit to green business practices

Finally, back all this up with bold business actions on environmental matters. Purpose-led employees want to feel they’re contributing to an organisation that’s eco-conscious, with Deloitte research highlighting some of the sustainability initiatives they most want to see at work. 

Of course, every team will have their own views on what’s most important – so ask yours. Involve them in the conversation and let them see you act on their suggestions. 

Use goal setting, monitoring and reporting to be accountable and celebrate hitting milestones. Seeing the progress you’re making together is the best motivation. 

Have you started addressing eco-anxiety in your workplace? We’d love to know how you’re helping colleagues manage these feelings and take climate action – let’s talk on LinkedIn.