Emily Mellwood
The workplace is changing, and so are the ways we connect, engage and support our teams. Businesses are seeking creative ways to energize their cultures and show employees they value more than just their 9-to-5 contributions. One approach gaining momentum is the workplace fitness challenge.
We’re not just talking about physical wellbeing when we say “fitness challenge” – these aren’t just about steps or sit-ups; they’re about disrupting routines, building up community and inspiring healthier habits in ways that feel fresh, fun and social. Whether it’s a step challenge that gets people moving or a mindfulness activity to recharge, fitness challenges are quickly becoming a go-to strategy for organizations that want to build happier, more productive teams.
If you’re exploring ways to enhance your employee wellbeing initiatives in the coming years, workplace fitness challenges could help you energize your teams, cultivate more sustainable habits and revitalize your culture. Let’s dive into what these challenges are, their benefits and some practical ideas to get started.
What are office fitness challenges?
In a nutshell, workplace fitness challenges are goal-driven wellbeing activities designed to encourage healthier behavior at work. They focus on making movement, nutrition and other wellbeing avenues more accessible and enjoyable for employees – whether it’s logging steps, drinking more water or trying new forms of exercise.
How workplace fitness challenges can transform office culture
Beyond promoting physical activity, employee wellbeing initiatives empower people to take charge of their daily wellbeing, build stronger bonds with their colleagues and even recharge mentally.
Regular movement boosts mental health by reducing stress and improving mood, which can help combat the burnout that so many employees face today. More importantly, challenges like these remind teams that their wellbeing matters and create an atmosphere that prioritizes balance.
The results?
Higher morale, better employee wellbeing and a workplace culture that thrives on connection.
Workplace fitness challenge ideas: Physical activities
Ready to get employees moving? These fitness challenge ideas bring a spark of energy to the workday.
1. Step challenges
This is what people think of first when they hear “fitness challenge.” Encourage employees to track their daily steps with fun goals – like reaching the equivalent of climbing Mount Everest or walking “around the world” as a team. Don’t forget to reward milestones!
Reward Gateway | Edenred’s Wellbeing+ app allows employees to set their own step goals, as well as join or create challenges with their colleagues. Share content, create racetracks for collective challenges or let employees sort themselves into teams and unleash the power of friendly competition.
2. Group fitness classes
Host regular workout sessions (virtual or in-person) featuring yoga, Zumba, or strength training. These can be offered as webinars if you have a large hybrid or remote population or hosted in the office if staff are primarily on site. Vary your offerings across physical, mental and financial wellbeing topics to maintain interest and reach all your people, wherever they are.
3. Fitness bingo
Mix movement with games! Create bingo cards with activities like “10 squats at your desk” or “take a walk during lunch” to make staying active playful. Not a fan of bingo? It’s not the only game you could play with employees!
4. Deskercise challenge
Prove that fitness isn’t just for the gym!
Share short, office-friendly exercise routines employees can tackle between meetings – from their desks. Encourage stretching routines for a variety of focus areas, like the wrists, knees and spine.
5. Stairs-over-elevator challenge
Inspire employees to skip the elevator and rack up “stair counts” instead. It’s a simple and effective way to make movement a part of the day. Plus, it decreases your office’s overall energy consumption volumes and your carbon footprint.
Workplace fitness challenge ideas: Lifestyle
Wellbeing isn’t just about working out or getting those steps in – sustainable lifestyle habits also play a key role. Here’s how to integrate those into your challenges.
6. Healthy eating challenge
Set a goal as a team to try nutritious lunches, share healthy recipes or reduce processed foods for a week. Make it engaging by sharing meal ideas through employee communication platforms.
7. Hydration challenge
Encourage team members to up their water intake by tracking daily hydration goals. Provide branded water bottles as a fun incentive.
8. Digital detox challenge
Challenge employees to reduce screen time by stepping away from their phones or work computers during certain hours.
9. Sugar swap week
Challenge your team to cut down on sugary snacks by swapping them for natural alternatives, like fruits or nuts.
10. Sleep hygiene challenge
Help everyone rest up by encouraging practices like consistent bedtimes, avoiding screens before bed or tracking quality sleep.
Workplace fitness challenge ideas: Mental wellbeing
Mental wellbeing deserves just as much attention as physical wellbeing.
Research shows that employees are more likely to take a personal day off of work for mental health-related reasons than physical health. The following challenge ideas nurture emotional wellbeing at work.
11. Self-care bingo
Create a set of bingo cards with self-care activities like “meditate for 5 minutes” or “read a book” to encourage mindful practices. You can use the same set of activities and randomize placement to keep things interesting and create social opportunities.
12. Kindness chain
Encourage employees to share small acts of kindness – whether it’s complimenting a coworker or paying it forward with a coffee. If you have a recognition platform (like ours!), consider starting a recognition chain – if you receive an eCard, send out one – or more! – of your own.
13. Mindfulness minutes
Incorporate mindfulness into the workday by setting aside time for guided breathing exercises, meditation, or reflection. Consider partnering with a wellbeing provider, such as Unmind, or offering subsidies for apps like Headspace or Calm.
14. Gratitude challenge
Challenge employees to write down or share three things they’re grateful for each day. Embed this practice into your wellbeing platform to keep it top-of-mind. This is another challenge that’s easy (and effective!) to pair with a recognition program.
We are all grateful for things in our lives, but what about each other? Who made your life easier at work this week? Who helped you out with a task that seemed too big or complex? Who lent you a sympathetic ear when you needed to vent about a problem?
15. Journaling challenge
Encourage employees to reflect through journaling – whether it’s about work-life balance, setting goals or simply writing about their day. It takes anywhere from three weeks to a year to turn an action into a habit; make this challenge last one month to help employees form a new healthy habit.
Tips to make your workplace fitness challenges impactful
To truly make these challenges resonate, take a thoughtful approach. Here are some tips to maximize impact:
1. Keep it inclusive and accessible
Ensure everyone can participate by tailoring challenges to various fitness levels and abilities. For physical wellbeing challenges, one strategy is to create leagues for different activity scales: Allowing your 15k-per-day steppers compete in a separate league from the 5k-per-day steppers allows everyone to maintain motivation and stretch themselves.
2. Make it social and team-oriented
Encourage teamwork by splitting employees into groups for some healthy competition. Mixing up your challenge types allows different groups of employees to socialize and connect over things they care about.
Recognition and connection go a long way.
3. Set clear, simple goals
Avoid overwhelming employees with complex rules or unattainable goals.
Keep things straightforward and motivational.
4. Recognize and reward participation
Incentives like gift cards, wellbeing days, or even small gestures like handwritten notes show employees that their efforts are appreciated.
5. Use technology
Platforms like Reward Gateway | Edenred’s Wellbeing+ mobile app can host all your wellbeing challenges and track progress. Centralizing these activities makes participation seamless and more engaging.
Kickstart Your Office Fitness Challenge with Reward Gateway | Edenred
Healthy and happy teams build successful businesses. At Edenred | Reward Gateway, we make it easy to launch impactful workplace fitness challenges that inspire your employees. From creating engaging activities to recognizing achievements, our solutions are designed to elevate wellbeing and drive lasting impact.
Learn more about how Reward Gateway | Edenred can help you set up a variety of fitness challenges for your employees and make your corner of the world a better place to work.
