Start a step challenge and improve employee health and wellbeing.
If you want to boost employee engagement and improve workplace wellbeing, why not try a step challenge?
A step challenge is a great entry to workplace wellness activities. It’s easy to do, promotes physical activity, and helps build a positive company culture. Whether you have remote or in-office employees, everyone can participate, too.
In this article, we cover:
What a steps challenge is
The health and workplace benefits of daily walking
How to set up a steps challenge that works for your team
What is a Steps Challenge?
A steps challenge is a workplace wellness activity where employees track their daily steps over a set period. Usually, this is anywhere from 1 to 3 months.
Employees compete individually or as a team to see who can achieve the most steps, stay consistent, or even hit a milestone such as 10,000 steps a day or more than 300,000 steps in 1 month.
Often, step challenges are paired with wearables or smartphone apps to make tracking easy and accessible.
With FitPros, your data syncs to the app and is entered on our leaderboards. Your employees compete for prizes, and we gamify the process to make your step challenge fun and interactive for the entire workplace.
What are the benefits of a step challenge?
Getting active daily and achieving your steps is a great way to improve your physical and mental health.
For example, a 2023 meta-analysis involving 111,309 individuals found significant reductions in mortality risk at 2,517 steps/day. This is the minimum number of steps people should take each day.
When you achieve 7,126 steps, you achieve the maximum CVD risk reduction, and at 8,763 steps, you achieve the maximum mortality risk reduction [1].
Achieving 10,000 steps or more a day has been shown to improve mental health and wellbeing [2]. The benefits will likely be more impactful for those who are overweight and do not exercise. A 2016 study of 35 overweight participants found 10,000 steps daily to significantly lower anxiety, depression, anger, fatigue, confusion, and total mood distress [3].
Other benefits of a workplace step challenge include:
Improved team communication and connections
Increased productivity at work (employees who feel healthier are likely to perform better)
Reduced medical claims
Helps build a positive workplace culture centered around wellbeing
How to set up a steps challenge at work
Setting up a step challenge is easy—you can make it as complex or simple as you want.
To get started:
Choose a format: Decide if participants will compete as individuals or teams. Teams may help improve communication and team building at work.
Pick a tracking method: Participants can use smartphones or wearable devices like fitness Watches to log their steps.
Track progress: Use a shared Excel or Google Sheet to record step progress. You can simplify the process using FitPros—your steps automatically sync to our app and are displayed on an interactive leaderboard.
Offer rewards: Offer prizes and milestones to top performers. These can be small incentives like gift cards, an extra day off, or even a virtual badge for their efforts (employees earn badges on the FitPros app).
Tracking progress is essential and allows you to gamify the challenge. When employees compete, they are likely to stick with their daily step and movement goals.
Why not try other challenges?
Step challenges are an excellent first workplace wellness challenge for many companies.
They are the stepping stone to better collaboration, teamwork, and productivity at work.
With the FitPros app, you get proprietary "Check-In Challenges" available in the FitPros LIVE calendar. Your workplace can participate in over 60+ challenges monthly, earning points and badges. It’s an easy way to gamify wellness while keeping it varied, helping to keep employees engaged.
Key Takeaways
Walking steps challenges are simple, cost-effective ways to promote workplace wellbeing
Benefits include better physical and mental health, team building, and improved productivity
Track progress using a leaderboard and offer rewards for top performers
Join FitPros LIVE and download the app to track progress, engage participants, and maximize results.
FAQs
Has anyone lost weight by walking 10,000 steps?
Yes! Walking 10,000 steps daily burns roughly 300–500 calories, depending on your weight and pace. Combined with a calorie deficit, this can help people lose weight.
What happens if I walk 10,000 steps every day for a month?
Walking 10,000 steps daily can improve cardiovascular health, strengthen muscles, and improve mental health. You may also lose weight, improve your sleep, and more.
How many steps is 30 minutes of walking?
The number of steps depends on your walking pace. On average, a brisk 30-minute walk equals about 3,000–4,000 steps. That’s nearly halfway to the daily 10,000-step goal!
Ready to start a walking steps challenge at work? Talk to us today and learn how to make it easy, fun, and effective. With tools like our app and monthly LIVE challenges, we’ll help you create a wellness program that delivers results.
Looking for more? Contact a Wellbeing Manager to discuss your organizational wellbeing needs.
We provide workplace teams with mindful practices, personal and professional wellbeing growth, fitness instruction, and opportunities for social connection. We aim to inspire the highest potential in people at work, in life, every day, so they can show up healthy and at their best.