- New research reveals that closing the workplace for one extra day a week could cut a business’s annual energy use by around 14%
- Large businesses could save an estimated £2,763 a year, while medium-sized firms could cut costs by £2,069, and small businesses by £987
- Uswitch Business Energy expert shares their top tips to stop an empty office burning through money.
Working from home one day a week could slash almost £3,000 from a company’s annual energy bill. New analysis from Uswitch Business Energy reveals that shutting up shop for one extra day a week could cut workplace energy use by around 14%.
Large businesses could save a whopping 16,800 kWh of energy and £2,763 a year, simply by turning down the heating, switching off the lights and sending staff home.
Medium-sized firms could pocket £2,069, while small businesses could save nearly £1,000.
So, the working week’s most popular perk may offer the ultimate win-win: less commuting for employees and thousands back in the bank for bosses.
Four-day Workweek Savings by Business Size
| Business size | Potential energy saving | Potential cost saving |
| Microbusiness | 2,800 kwh | £500 |
| Small business | 5,950 kwh | £987 |
| Medium business | 12,250 kwh | £2,069 |
| Large business | 16,800 kwh | £2,763 |
Source: Uswitch.com
Also Read: Power is Getting More Expensive! Save on Your Energy Bill with these Five Tips
Ben Gallizzi, energy expert at Uswitch Business Energy, said: “Our research shows that closing the workplace for one more day each week could save a large business more than £2,700 a year, while giving employees a break from the commute.
“But businesses won’t save money simply by sending everyone home. Heating, air conditioning, lights and office equipment need to be switched off or turned down too, otherwise they could be paying to power an empty building.”
Ben’s tips to stop an empty office burning through money:
- Reset heating and air-conditioning timers: Make sure heating and cooling schedules reflect the new working week. There is little point sending everyone home if the office is still being heated or cooled as though it were full.
- Switch off everyday office equipment: Lights, monitors, chargers, printers and kitchen appliances can continue using energy unnecessarily. Encourage the last person leaving to check shared spaces and switch off anything that is not needed.
- Don’t rely on standby mode: Equipment left on standby still consumes power, which can add up across a whole workplace. Where it is safe to do so, switch non-essential devices off completely at the plug.
- Check what the office uses when it is empty: Smart meters and half-hourly usage data can show how much energy the building consumes outside working hours. A surprisingly high overnight or weekend figure may reveal equipment that has been left running.
- Compare energy use before and after the change: Review bills and meter readings after introducing the extra home-working day. This will help show whether the change is delivering genuine savings and highlight where further adjustments may be needed.
To keep costs low, make sure you’re on the right business energy tariff at Uswitch Business Energy.