Employee energy benefits: what are they and what effects do they have on employees?

Abstract

Employee energy benefits, such as subsidies for employee home energy audits and financial incentives for carpooling to work, aim to influence employees’ environmental behaviors outside of work. The human resources management and social psychology literatures suggest that employers may have a range of motivations for offering these benefits, that they may improve employee morale, and that they could be effective at influencing employee behavior in the home. Using an in-depth literature search and a preliminary survey of 482 U.S. adults employed full-time, we examine: (1) how frequently employee energy benefits are offered by type, (2) employee perceptions about why employers offer these benefits and why employees enroll, and (3) what effect these benefits have on employee morale and behavior. The findings highlight a vast array of employee energy benefits types and distinct employer and employee motivations, and provide preliminary evidence that these benefits could influence employee morale and environmental behavior.