Most employees today are stuck in a cycle of sitting and screen time. Globally, the average worker spends around 6.5 to 8 hours a day sitting, and many rack up even more screen time, between 7 and 10 hours daily, depending on their role and location. According to the World Health Organisation, physical inactivity is now the fourth leading risk factor for global mortality.

Employers have a real opportunity to change that, and it doesn’t require a massive budget or a corporate gym. All it requires is a well-planned Workplace Step Challenge. This guide breaks down exactly how to run a successful and inclusive Workplace Step Challenge, from the tools you’ll need to the kind of language that makes everyone feel welcome.

Why Run A Step Challenge At Work?

A step challenge engaging move that can improve employee health, reduce burnout, and strengthen your company culture. Whether your team is remote, hybrid, or in-office, walking more is a universally accessible way to improve mental and physical wellbeing. Let’s break down exactly why it works.

It Supports Physical Health and Mental Health

A large study published in JAMA Internal Medicine found that taking more steps per day (up to about 10,000) was associated with lower all-cause mortality. Another report from The Lancet emphasised that walking even 30 minutes a day can reduce heart disease risk by 35%.

Physical activity is a known stress buster. A “Happy Feet” study published in BMC Psychiatry revealed that people who took part in a 10,000-step challenge for 100 days experienced significant reductions in depression, anxiety, and stress, even if they didn’t hit the step target every day.

Also read: How to support mental health at work?

It Improves Team Engagement

A well-run Workplace Step Challenge builds camaraderie. Whether competing in teams or cheering each other on, employees who participate often feel more connected. It encourages cross-department collaboration, breaks up routine workdays, and brings people together around a shared goal.

It Can Lower Healthcare Costs

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labour Statistics, employers spend about $13,728 annually per employee on healthcare. Healthier employees generally cost less to insure and take fewer sick days. In fact, workplaces that promote wellness report 25% fewer sick leaves and lower turnover rates.

How to Create a Step Challenge at Work? (Step-by-step Guide)

Here's a detailed guide on how to create a step challenge that gets results.

Define Your Goals

Before launching a step challenge, it’s crucial to clearly define the goals you want to achieve. Are you looking to improve employee health, build a sense of community, or reduce absenteeism? Identifying your core objectives will shape the design and scope of the challenge.

Decide on the Challenge Format

The format of your step challenge can vary depending on your company culture and goals. A few different options can help achieve a variety of objectives:

Common formats:

• Individual Challenge: Each employee tracks their own steps and tries to hit a daily target (e.g., 10,000 steps).
• Team Challenge: Steps from departments or cross-functional groups are combined for a collective team total.
• Goal-Based Challenge: The whole organisation works toward a shared goal, like “walking the length of Route 66.”
• Tiered Challenge: Participants choose from different difficulty levels (e.g., 5K, 10K, 15K steps daily).

Decide on duration:

• Quick burst (1–2 weeks): Great for a kickoff or themed event.
• Mid-length (4–8 weeks): Ideal for building healthy habits.
• Quarterly or year-round programs: Work well with ongoing rewards or seasonal themes.

Set Clear Rules and Participation Guidelines

Clarity is key when it comes to the rules and structure of the challenge. Employees need to know what’s expected of them from day one. Some important considerations include:

• Start and end dates: Include the time zone, especially for remote teams.
• Step target: Choose a realistic benchmark or allow personalisation.
• Team setup: Will employees compete in teams or individually? Who picks teams?
• How to join: Provide clear instructions and deadlines.
• How steps are tracked and reported: Lay out the process in simple steps.
• Eligibility for prizes: Set expectations around participation minimums or honesty policies.

Choose Your Tracking Tools

Effective tracking is critical to the success of a step challenge. Employees need a reliable way to monitor their progress and stay motivated. Some tools to consider include:

• Smartphone apps like Apple Health, Google Fit, and Samsung Health.
• Wearables like Fitbit, Apple Watch, and Garmin.
• Manual entry using Google Forms, Excel sheets, or Airtable (for small teams or budget-friendly setups).
• Integrated platforms like Pacer for Teams, Wellable, or Nectar.

 Create a Communication Plan

A successful step challenge requires effective communication throughout the entire process. From launching the challenge to celebrating the winners, keep the momentum going with regular updates and reminders.

Here are some tips for communicating effectively:

• Pre-Challenge: Build excitement ahead of time. Send out an email invitation or flyer with all the details about how to sign up and what to expect. Offer tips for success and encourage employees to prepare by setting up their devices.
• Kickoff: Host a virtual or in-person launch event to introduce the challenge, share rules, and explain how employees can track their steps. This sets the tone and gets people excited.
• Mid-Point Check-Ins: Send out weekly email updates to share leaderboards, recognise top participants, and encourage others to catch up.
• Final Stretch: As the challenge nears its end, ramp up motivation with reminders, mini challenges, or team competitions.
• Celebrate Success: After the challenge is over, send out a thank-you email that highlights key achievements, the total number of steps walked, and a congratulatory note to all participants.

Choose the Right Rewards and Recognition

To maintain excitement, it’s important to provide meaningful rewards and recognition for participants. Rewards don’t have to be extravagant, but they should feel special and motivate employees to participate actively.

Reward ideas include:

• Monetary incentives: Cash prizes, gift cards, or bonuses.
• Wellness gifts: Gym memberships, fitness gear, or healthy meal kits.
• Public recognition: Acknowledging top participants in company emails, meetings, or newsletters.
• Group rewards: Team lunches, a half-day off, or a group activity for completing the challenge together.

Best Practices for Running a Workplace Step Challenge

Running a step challenge is more than setting a step goal and hoping people join in. To make it successful and worth repeating, you need to focus on engagement, inclusivity, and sustained motivation. These best practices will help you build momentum, support employees at every level, and ensure your challenge delivers real value.

Prioritise Inclusivity

Not every employee can walk 10,000 steps a day. Some have physical limitations, chronic conditions, or different fitness baselines. Allow flexibility to ensure everyone can participate. Let people set personalised goals or convert other activities like swimming, cycling, or yoga into step equivalents. This approach keeps the challenge fair and welcoming.

Offer Team-Based Options

Team formats create a built-in support system. They encourage collaboration, light competition, and friendly accountability. Employees are more likely to stick with the challenge when they feel part of something bigger than themselves. You can also mix departments to help employees connect with coworkers outside their usual circles.

Integrate Movement into Daily Work Culture

Don’t rely solely on the challenge to drive activity; find ways to normalise movement in the workplace. Encourage walking meetings, install standing desks, and remind employees to take short movement breaks throughout the day. When movement is baked into company culture, your challenge won’t feel like a one-off event, it’ll feel natural.

Launch with Seasonal or Thematic Tie-Ins

Timing matters. Launching your challenge in January taps into New Year motivation. Spring and fall are also great windows, people are energised by the change in weather and more likely to get outside. Give your challenge a fun, seasonal name like “Step into Spring” or “Fall into Fitness” to keep it light and engaging.

Keep It Fun and Lighthearted

Even the most motivated participants can lose steam. Inject fun into your challenge by adding weekly mini-goals or themes, like “craziest walking selfie” or “step to your favourite song.” Share Spotify playlists, organise scavenger hunts, or hold a walking costume day. Humour and creativity go a long way in sustaining participation.

Share Progress and Celebrate Wins

Visibility boosts engagement. Regularly update employees with team standings, individual shoutouts, or milestone celebrations. Send weekly emails or post leaderboards in common areas or internal chat channels. When the challenge ends, throw a mini celebration, virtual or in-person, to recognise achievements and say thank you.

Collect Feedback Post-Challenge

The best way to improve your next challenge? Ask your people. Send a short survey to gather feedback on what worked, what didn’t, and what could be better. This input helps you refine future wellness initiatives and shows employees their voices matter.

Automate Step Challenge with CHOYS

For companies looking for a simpler way to run a step challenge without managing spreadsheets, tracking apps, or manual submissions, CHOYS is a great option. CHOYS offers built-in step challenges through its app, where employees can earn gift cards from their favourite brands just for walking.

One standout feature is duels, allowing employees to directly challenge each other in a fun, competitive format that boosts engagement. Beyond steps, CHOYS also includes a range of wellbeing tools, such as a mood tracker, meditations, and a recognition feature to celebrate teammates. It’s an all-in-one platform designed to make wellness simple, social, and rewarding.

Schedule a free demo today, and see how we can create you create highly engaging step challenge at work.

FAQS on Workplace Step Challenge 

Q: What is a Workplace Step Challenge?

A step challenge is a workplace wellness activity where coworkers track the number of steps they take over a specific period, daily, weekly, or monthly. It encourages physical movement, breaks up sedentary routines, and builds camaraderie. Challenges can be individual or team-based and often include goals, leaderboards, and rewards to keep motivation high.

Q: How do you set up a team step challenge?

Start by choosing your challenge format and duration. Divide participants into teams, this can be by department, at random, or based on signups. Assign a team captain to encourage check-ins. Use a platform or app to track steps and create a shared leaderboard for visibility. Offer team rewards for reaching collective milestones to build a sense of unity and achievement.

Q: Is there a tool that makes workplace step challenges easier to manage?

Yes. Platforms like CHOYS make running step challenges easy and engaging. CHOYS tracks steps automatically, offers real gift card rewards, and lets employees challenge each other in one-on-one duels. It also includes extra wellness features like mood tracking, guided meditations, and peer recognition, all in one app. It’s ideal for companies that want a hands-off, high-impact solution.

Q:  What are some examples of workplace wellness challenges?

Besides step challenges, popular workplace wellness challenges include hydration goals, nutrition tracking, mindfulness minutes, sleep tracking, digital detoxes, stretch breaks, and yoga streaks. Mixing physical, mental, and lifestyle challenges creates a more well-rounded workplace wellness program.

Also read:

• How To Improve Employee Engagement in 7 Steps
• Game On at Work: Is Gamification the Future of Team Building?
• The Four Pillars of Well-Being
• The Link Between Employee Wellbeing and Productivity
• Why HR’s Efforts to Improve Employee Mental Health Often Fail (and How to Fix Them)
• PERMA Model: Benefits of PERMA Model in the Workplace