Promoting Workplace Health
A step challenge is an effective strategy to promote workplace health and community spirit by encouraging employees to be more active through fun and motivation.
If you’re wondering whether a workplace step challenge is the right movement initiative for your company or if you’re already in the planning phase, this guide will provide you with all the essential information. We explain why a company step challenge is beneficial, what it entails, and how to successfully launch an engaging corporate walking challenge.
What is a Step Challenge?
A step challenge at work is a competition designed to promote workplace health. Employees are playfully motivated to increase their physical activity during work and daily life. Steps are counted both individually and in teams, with the goal of taking the most steps within a specific period.
Integrating movement into daily life through gamification elements helps build long-term awareness of an active and healthy lifestyle. A team step challenge also strengthen team spirit and contribute to a positive workplace environment.
A workplace walking challenge is usually implemented using an app. This makes participation easy and convenient, as most smartphones today have built-in step challenge trackers.
What are the benefits of a step challenge at work?
A step contest highlights the importance of an active lifestyle. Counting steps makes it possible to become aware of one’s movement habits and adjust them if necessary. People in Germany do not move enough. Younger generations, in particular, suffer from a significant lack of physical activity. The WHO recommends at least 150 minutes of physical activity per week. This does not necessarily mean sports—less intense activities like walking are sufficient. The recommendation is 10,000 steps per day.
Step challenges promote health
Health experts view the continuous decline in physical activity with great concern. How healthy is Germany? This is the question examined in a study by DKV Deutsche Krankenversicherung AG in collaboration with the German Sport University.
Insufficient physical activity not only increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and cancer but also affects the immune system, digestion, and mental health. A lack of movement becomes a risk to both physical and mental well-being.
The negative effects are not limited to individuals but ultimately impact entire companies. Employees can only perform at their best if they are healthy. The lower their physical and mental well-being, the higher the likelihood of sick leave and declining productivity. That is why corporate health management has become an essential part of workplace culture for almost all companies today.
Walking 10,000 steps per day strengthens the immune system and promotes mental health. Incorporating movement into daily routines—such as walking to work or taking the stairs instead of the elevator—is easier for many people than exercising several times a week.
A step challenge is a low-threshold initiative to get employees moving. It also serves as a great starting point for introducing employees to corporate health programs.
Walking challenges are also good for the climate
Whoever walks instead of driving helps to protect the climate. If you want to promote climate action in your company, you can link a movement challenge with climate goals. An app can help by counting steps and measuring CO₂ savings.
Some step challenge apps can track the CO2 balance of each trip and tell you how much you’re helping the environment. This can motivate people to walk or bike more, improving their health and the environment. It’s a win-win-win situation: Employees feel healthier and take fewer sick days, companies have a happier and more productive workforce, and the planet benefits from reduced greenhouse gas emissions.
Collecting steps for your health
Every step counts in a step challenge: walk to work instead of driving; take the stairs. Walk to the next office instead of making a call. A short walk during the lunch break. You can also collect steps during a walking meeting or by taking the stairs instead of the elevator. Every step matters.
A step challenge is usually done through an step tracking app. App-based solutions have the advantage that most smartphones already have a built-in step counter. Many employees already use a wearable or have a favorite app. Make sure that data from these digital tools can be included in your workplace walking challenge. This makes it easier for everyone to join. Also, think about those who do not want automatic tracking. There should be an option to enter steps manually on a website. The Changers Fit app offers all these options.
How many steps should you aim for?
A classic step challenge goal is based on the general rule of walking 6,000 to 10,000 steps per day. An even simpler option is to set no step goal at all but instead define a time period. After that, the team and the person with the most steps win.
When sharing the results of your team step challenge, it helps to convert steps into kilometers. Distance in kilometers is easier for most people to understand, especially when compared to well-known distances from their location. Example: The marketing department managed to walk the distance from Düsseldorf to Rome in just three weeks.
Since everyone’s step length varies, the distance covered by 10,000 steps will also vary. The average step length is about 0.762 meters or 76 centimeters. Based on this estimate, 10,000 steps equal roughly 7.62 kilometers.
Communicating a step challenge in the company
To achieve a high participation rate in your company, it is important that all employees know about the upcoming movement challenge. That’s why an effective communication campaign ahead of the step contest is essential.
Depending on your organization’s structure, you can involve your internal communications team to plan which content should be shared, on which channels, and in what format. If you are organizing the step challenge for your workplace with an external provider, it is helpful to coordinate with them. They may support you in creating and distributing communication materials.
Communication is key for successful movement motivation
Changers Fit provides various communication materials to motivate your employees to be more active and improve their health. This includes posters that you can easily print in the office and send as PDFs to other branches.
There are also floor stickers with motivating slogans. These can be placed on the floor in the company to inform employees at the start of the walking challenge.
Floor stickers for the entrance and cafeteria. Motivating texts to encourage participation.
Eye-catching roll-ups can be placed in the entrance area, cafeteria, or common rooms. Most materials can be customized with your logo, or we can adjust them for you. Feel free to contact us.
Team challenge ideas for your company
There are many ways to design a step challenge. You can organize a special event for your step competition, such as a company run. However, it is also useful to integrate movement and exercise into daily work life by sharing ideas on how to collect steps.
Motivate your employees to:
- Hold walking meetings
- Get off one stop earlier on their way to work
- Take the stairs instead of the elevator
- Walk short daily routes instead of using a car or public transport
- Park in the first available spot instead of searching for the closest one
Recognizing employee engagement
The motivation to participate and stay active in the step challenge can be increased in many ways. A very effective method is using an app with gamification elements. You can find more on gamification and employee motivation in this article: “Gamification – The Game of Motivation.”
Of course, there should also be a winner’s ceremony and a prize. A free afternoon has proven to be highly motivating. Another great idea is a rotating trophy for regular step challenges, displayed in the winning department.
Conclusion: Step challenges are a win for everyone
Implementing a team step challenge brings many positive effects for your company and employees. The playful nature of the challenge helps increase physical activity and raises awareness of personal health. The shared activity strengthens team spirit and improves the workplace atmosphere.
If you are looking for effective ways to promote motivation, health, and climate protection, the Changers Fit step challenge is a simple solution with great value.
Let’s plan your first workplace step challenge together!
We look forward to meeting you! Write to us or start your free 14-day trial today.
Daniela Schiffer
d.schiffer@changers.com
+49 172 367 40 38
