OK, so you want to grow a green culture in your workplace and find green-minded employees to fill  positions or expand upon current ones. Where do you start? Maybe place classified ads in newspapers, advertise online, or spread the word. With any luck, you'll find the right candidates (heck knows, there are enough people thinking green these days). Perhaps the perfect candidate is already in your workplace, just waiting to be unleashed to help green your workplace environment. Some of your workers are probably adopting a green lifestyle at home, but are quietly disappointed with how little green is being achieved in your workplace. Here's your chance to tap that enthusiasm.

It's no secret that the explosion in demand to fill green-related jobs is far ahead of the supply of actual candidates. The reality is that educational institutions are still racing to expand existing programs and develop new ones to meet that demand. That means there's an increasing need to also look within your own workforce. Today, traditional jobs are truly morphing into green jobs based on the enthusiasm of workers to expand their roles and/or skills. An auditor becomes an environmental auditor. A homebuilder becomes a green homebuilder. Etc. Etc.

You can have all the degrees or diplomas you want in your workplace, but many times the green component of a job is still something that's value-added later on. Fact is, on-the-job learning (or should we say, adapting) is still a significant factor in growing green jobs. That means, as a business owner, it's also about investing in, and growing current job descriptions (it's doesn't always have to be about adding more bodies or creating exclusive positions that require 40-hour work weeks) to become green-focused. So what does that mean? Well, that person in the lunchroom who always keeps an eagle-eye out for co-workers who throw their pop cans in the garbage, and reminds them to recycle, could be encouraged to take on an added role as your business's waste diversion coordinator. Put another employee in charge of doing an energy audit (yes, a basic energy audit, with little training -- contact your local hydro utility for pointers -- can be done by anyone to spot when power is being wasted and possible remedies).

Most municipalities and hydro utilities now have programs to help businesses become more environmentally friendly. Often, these programs are free or low-cost. And when you launch these initiatives, get your employees involved, not just the managers, as the liaisons with officials.
Remember, growing green jobs -- or just green enthusiasm in the workplace -- can start with your existing employees. Chances are, you'll find they're eager to jump on the bandwagon.

It's easy to slap the word green on your business. But you'll be much further ahead by planting and nurturing a green culture within your workforce that achieves being green by doing, not just spelling a word.