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Workplace Step Challenge Ideas: How to Run One That Works
A step challenge is one of the simplest ways to get your people moving, talking and having fun together. It costs very little, works for office, hybrid and remote teams, and gives everyone a shared goal to work towards.
In this guide, we share step challenge ideas for the workplace, explain how to plan and launch one, and show you how to make sure everyone can take part.
Why step challenges are good for your people
Many of us spend most of the working day sitting down. In England, almost a quarter of adults (24.7%) do less than 30 minutes of physical activity a week (Sport England, Active Lives 2024–25).
Regular walking makes a real difference. A major review in The Lancet Public Health found that walking around 7,000 steps a day was linked to:
A 47% lower risk of early death
A 25% lower risk of cardiovascular disease
22% fewer depressive symptoms
A 28% lower risk of falls
These figures are compared with people who walk very little. The same review found that you don’t need to reach 10,000 steps to benefit: even small increases help.
For employers, a step challenge can also:
Boost energy, mood and focus during the working day
Bring hybrid and remote teams together around a shared goal
Encourage healthy habits that last beyond the challenge
Give people a fun reason to use your wellbeing tools and EAP
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10 workplace step challenge ideas
1. Team leaderboard
Split your organisation into teams and track the total steps each team takes over a set period. A live leaderboard keeps motivation high, and mixing teams across departments helps people connect.
2. Virtual journey
Turn your steps into a virtual trip, such as walking the length of the UK, climbing Everest or visiting each of your office locations. Share milestones as teams “arrive” at each point.
3. Personal best challenge
Instead of competing against others, each person tries to beat their own average. This is a great option for mixed-ability teams and puts the focus on progress, not performance.
4. Charity step challenge
Link your challenge to a cause your people care about. Set a company step target, and if you reach it, the business makes a donation.
5. Walking meetings week
Encourage teams to hold one-to-ones and catch-ups on the move. It’s an easy way to add steps and often leads to better conversations.
6. Lunchtime step streak
Challenge people to take a short walk at lunchtime every day for two weeks. Reward everyone who keeps their streak going.
7. Department vs department
A little friendly rivalry goes a long way. Pit departments or sites against each other, using average steps per person so team size doesn’t matter.
8. Awareness day challenge
Tie your challenge to a date in the wellbeing calendar, such as National Walking Month in May or Men’s Health Week in June.
9. Weekend wanderers
Encourage people to get outdoors with family and friends at the weekend, and share their favourite walks or photos with the team.
10. Daily minimum challenge
Set a realistic daily target, such as 7,000 steps, and celebrate everyone who reaches it most days. This keeps the challenge achievable for everyone.
How to run a step challenge in 6 steps
Set a clear goal. Decide what you want to achieve, such as better engagement, more movement or connecting teams.
Choose the format. Pick one of the ideas above and decide how long it will run. Two to four weeks works well for most organisations.
Make it easy to join. Use a tool that tracks steps automatically from people’s phones or fitness apps, so there’s nothing extra to log.
Launch with energy. Announce the challenge with a clear start date, simple rules and senior leaders taking part.
Keep momentum going. Share leaderboard updates, shout-outs and milestones every week.
Celebrate and review. Recognise winners and everyone who took part, then ask for feedback to improve next time.
Make your challenge inclusive
A step challenge should be fun for everyone, not just the keenest walkers. To make sure no one feels left out:
Offer alternatives to steps. Let people log activity minutes instead, so wheelchair users and people with health conditions or injuries can take part.
Focus on taking part. Reward progress, consistency and team effort, not just the highest totals.
Keep it optional. Make it clear that taking part is a choice, and never use step counts in performance conversations.
Respect privacy. Show team totals or averages rather than individual data, unless people choose to share it.
Think about different roles. Shift workers, people with caring responsibilities and part-time staff may need more flexible targets.
Common mistakes to avoid
Making it too competitive. Huge targets can put people off and lead to injury. Keep goals realistic.
Running it for too long. Interest often drops after a month, so plan a clear end date.
Forgetting about recognition. Small rewards and shout-outs keep people engaged.
Missing the bigger picture. Use the challenge to remind people about other wellbeing support, such as mood and health tracking and your EAP.
How to measure success
Track a few simple measures to see what’s working:
The number of people who signed up and stayed active
Total and average steps per person
Feedback on energy, mood and team connection
Any increase in use of your wellbeing tools and EAP during and after the challenge
Run step challenges in the Wisdom app
Wellbeing challenges in the Wisdom app make it easy to bring your teams together. Anyone in your organisation can set up a challenge and invite colleagues to join. Steps are tracked through a smartphone or synced automatically from health apps, and leaderboards keep everyone motivated.
Because challenges sit in the Wisdom app, they’re also a great way to launch your EAP. Once people are in the app for the challenge, they know where to find 24/7 support, Wisdom Academy courses and wellbeing resources when they need them.
Frequently asked questions
What is a workplace step challenge?
A workplace step challenge is a fun activity where employees track their daily steps, either individually or in teams, to reach a shared goal. It encourages people to move more, build healthy habits and connect with colleagues.
How long should a step challenge last?
Most step challenges run for two to four weeks. That’s long enough to build a habit, but short enough to keep people interested.
How many steps a day should employees aim for?
You don’t need to aim for 10,000. Research suggests that around 7,000 steps a day brings significant health benefits, and any increase from someone’s usual level helps.
How do you make a step challenge inclusive?
Let people log activity minutes as well as steps, focus on personal progress and taking part, keep the challenge optional and show team averages rather than individual data.
Do employees need a fitness tracker to take part?
No. Most step challenges, including those in the Wisdom app, can track steps through a smartphone or sync automatically from health apps.
Sources:
Wisdom Wellbeing
Wisdom Wellbeing provides clinically led Employee Assistance Programmes to organisations across the UK and Ireland. Specialising in mental health and wellbeing, we publish practical guidance for employees, employers and business owners, including articles written by our counsellors to offer expertise from a clinical perspective. We also write for students at college and university who want to improve and maintain their mental wellbeing.
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