How to organize a corporate walking challenge: Best apps and ideas

Keeping your employees motivated and engaged during a corporate wellness event is difficult, but trust us, a well-planned corporate walking challenge can change that!  It’s a simple, fun, cost-effective way to boost workplace morale, encourage healthy habits, and build stronger teams.

And the best part? You don’t need a complicated wellness program to make it work. A simple step challenge app can handle tracking, rankings, and motivation, making it easy for everyone to participate. With remote and hybrid teams becoming the norm, it’s also a great way to connect employees no matter where they are.

But how do you organize a successful corporate walking challenge? Which step challenge apps are best for your needs? And how do you keep employees engaged beyond the first few days?

This guide covers everything you need—from picking the right app to creative ideas that make the challenge exciting. By the end, you’ll have all the tools to launch a walking challenge that employees actually want to join.

Let’s get started.

Benefits of corporate walking challenges

A corporate walking challenge is so much more than just counting steps. It’s a powerful tool for improving employee wellbeing, fostering teamwork, and boosting company culture.

A well-executed challenge has benefits for both your employees and the organization. Here are some benefits you can expect from organizing such an initiative:

Benefits for employees

Walking challenges give your employees quantifiable health and psychological benefits:

• Better physical health: According to research conducted at Oxford University, walking lowers employees’ chances of developing heart disease and obesity alongside diabetes while improving their physical condition. The increased walking leads to improved health outcomes that reduce their sick day absences.
• Improved mental wellbeing: Regular exercise also has positive effects on your employees’ mental wellbeing as it reduces anxiety and stress. Physical activity like walking results in endorphin release, lifting the mood at the workplace, and keeping your teammates productive.
• Higher energy levels: Sitting all day drains energy. A virtual step challenge motivates your employees to move, resulting in enhanced productivity and better focus.
• Stronger team connections: The competitive spirit of a corporate walking challenge allows your employees to connect across different departments, even when they work remotely.
• Motivation to stay active: Structured fitness goals drive your employees to stay active. Your employees will most likely continue practicing healthy routines even after completion of the corporate step challenge.

Benefits for the organization

The perks of hosting a corporate wellness challenge also extend to your organization. Here are some tangible organizational benefits you can expect:

• Reduced absenteeism: If your employees are in better health, they are less likely to take sick days. It will improve overall productivity and cut losses in the long term.
• Improved engagement: Team participation in wellness initiatives can help your employees develop stronger engagement and higher workplace morale. Well-thought-out work step challenge ideas bring enjoyable competition into the work environment.
• Better workplace culture: When you dedicate resources to employee wellness, you develop a workplace culture that places people at its center. It helps your team feel connected to the broad organizational goals and boosts loyalty and retention.

Unlike gym memberships or structured workout programs, a walking challenge is simple, inclusive, and easy to implement. Employees of all fitness levels can participate; no special equipment is required. Apps for walking challenges make it even easier by tracking progress, fostering competition, and keeping participants engaged.

The return on investment is clear- a walking challenge is a small effort with big rewards.

Our top 3 company walking challenge app

Choosing the right corporate walking challenge app can make or break your corporate walking challenge.

The best platforms go beyond simple step tracking. These apps offer you features that keep your employees engaged while making the challenge easy to manage.

Here are three of the top options designed specifically for corporate wellness.

1. Teamupp – A complete employee wellness challenge platform

Teamupp is a full-featured challenge platform designed to make your corporate wellness initiative more engaging and flexible. While it includes step challenges, it also offers a variety of other challenge formats, such as video, photo, or timed challenges, making it ideal if you want to keep things fresh.

Why Teamupp stands out?

Here are some features that make Teamupp one of the top contenders for the best group walking challenge app:

• More than just walking challenges: Step challenges are Teamupp’s core feature, but they also offer other activities such as cycling, meditation, hydration tracking, and even photo or video-based timed challenges.
• Add donations to charity to your challenges: The app allows you to raise awareness amongst your team while encouraging healthier habits. Pink October, Movember or even Blue March can be the theme of your next step-challenge, with all benefits given to the charity of your choice.

• Built-in learning and awareness: You can integrate educational content right into your step challenges with Teamupp. It offers a perfect solution for company initiatives like Quality of Work Life (QWL).
• User-friendly experience: The platform delivers a seamless user experience because it allows employees simple access for joining, tracking their progress, and remaining active.
• Encourages teamwork and social interaction: The social interaction features, along with team-based challenges within Teamupp, motivate your employees to work together while staying connected.

Pricing

Teamupp offers flexible pricing plans tailored to company size and needs. Plans start at just $0.50 per participant per month, with volume discounts available for larger teams.

Key features

• Step challenges and multi-activity challenges
• Photo and video challenges
• Customizable wellness content
• Team and individual leaderboards
• Event and awareness campaign integration
• Mobile-friendly platform
• Affordable corporate pricing

2. MoveSpring – Simple and engaging corporate walking challenge app

MoveSpring provides you with a straightforward way to organize walking challenges. It focuses on simplicity and ease of use, making it a good option if you want a dedicated step-tracking app without additional wellness features.

Why MoveSpring might be a good fit?

• User-friendly tracking: Your teammates can connect their step data from smartphones, Fitbits, Apple Watches, and other fitness trackers.
• Basic team and individual challenges: The app offers pre-set and customizable challenge modes, such as daily step goals and leaderboard competitions. That said, the customization options are limited.
• Gamification elements: You get badges, streaks, and virtual rewards to keep participants engaged.

Pricing

MoveSpring’s pricing is on the higher side, but they do offer reduced pricing for bigger teams. You’ll need to reach out to them for a quote, depending on the features you need and team size.

Key features

• Automatic step tracking via smartphones and wearables
• Simple team and individual leaderboards
• Gamification elements like badges and rewards
• Easy app integration with fitness devices

3. Wellable – Holistic employee wellness platform

Wellable offers like Cooleaf a broader approach to workplace wellbeing, combining step challenges with other wellness activities such as mindfulness, nutrition tracking, and fitness challenges.

You can consider it if you want to incorporate step tracking into a larger wellness initiative.

Why Wellable might be a good fit?

• Multi-activity tracking: Supports step tracking along with yoga, meditation, hydration, and other wellness activities.
• Employee engagement reports: Provides insights on participation levels, making it easy for you to assess engagement.
• Customizable Challenges: You can design wellness challenges that include walking and encouraging other healthy habits.

Pricing

Wellable’s pricing varies based on company size and the selected wellness features. Plans start at $1.25–$2.25 per employee per month, depending on customization.

Key features

• Step tracking with real-time updates
• Additional wellness tracking (hydration, mindfulness, nutrition)
• Employee engagement reports

Is a digital format relevant for a walking challenge?

Absolutely !

The digital format is quite effective if you are trying to run a successful corporate walking challenge. A digital step challenge app allows your remote employees to participate in the activity without being physically present.

It maintains employee connections for remote and hybrid teams by helping them to engage in friendly competition and view leaderboards while participating in team-based challenges. It strengthens connections between your staff members and builds team spirit even though they work from separate locations.

Beyond logistics, a digital format makes wellness initiatives more sustainable. A step challenge is just the beginning.

Apps like Teamupp allow you to expand your wellness programs by integrating challenges that promote broader healthy habits.

You can create one-shot challenges to celebrate a specific event, or choose a longer length (1 month, 1 year…) to create an ongoing wellness culture that equally benefits your employees and the organization. 

For example:

• Carpooling challenges: Employees earn points for choosing shared transportation instead of driving alone, reducing carbon footprints.
• Bike-to-work challenges: Encourages employees to swap short car commutes for cycling, promoting fitness and sustainability.
• Mindfulness and hydration challenges: Help employees build long-term healthy habits beyond just walking.

How do you organize a walking challenge in your workplace?

A well-organized corporate walking challenge that enhances employee health while lifting staff spirit and fostering better team relationships. 

But you need an organized plan to pull off an engaging, fruitful event.

Here are the steps to establish and execute an interesting walking challenge within your workplace.

1. Set clear goals and parameters

During your planning, define both the main purpose and boundaries of your challenge. Ask yourself the following questions:

• What’s the main objective? Do you want to achieve specific wellness promotion goals or a company-wide event like QWL Week?
• Who can participate? Do you plan the challenge to be company-wide, department-specific, or voluntary?
• How long will it last? Typical challenges in the workplace span between two weeks and two months, allowing habit formation while preserving participant engagement levels.

You should also be clear about whether the event will be individual or team-based. A team-based approach might stimulate group work, while a personal challenge helps your individual team members to set individual targets.

2. Choose the right step challenge app

A digital company walking challenge app will help you boost participation and engagement.
You should select an application that gives you all the tools you need to keep things fresh and organized.

A step challenge app like Teamupp provides several beneficial features like:

• Step tracking and leaderboard features
• Multi-activity challenges beyond walking (cycling, hydration, meditation, etc.)
• Photo and video challenges to keep employees engaged
• Customizable challenges that align with company initiatives
• Seamless mobile access for remote and in-office employees
• Step tracking and leaderboard features

A good app ensures accurate step counting, real-time competition, and a user-friendly experience.

3. Announce the challenge and get employees excited

After developing the framework, start building employee enthusiasm toward the upcoming challenge. 

You can communicate details through:

• Email announcements and posters in common areas
• Slack or Teams messages for remote-friendly engagement
• A kickoff meeting to explain the rules and answer questions

4. Keep participants engaged

If you want your initiative to succeed, you must keep your teammates engaged from start to finish.

Here are some tips on how you can achieve this:

• Weekly updates: Send emails or app notifications with leaderboards and motivational messages.
• Mini-challenges: Add extra fun by including bonus challenges, such as “Take 10,000 steps today” or “Post a walking selfie.”
• Themed challenges: Tie the challenge to events like Pink October (breast cancer awareness) or Earth Day (Car-free commutes).
• Recognition and rewards: Offer incentives like digital badges, certificates, or small prizes for top performers and engaged participants.

5. Wrap up and celebrate achievements

Conclude your step challenge by appreciating all participants through a formal closing announcement. The closing announcement should include vital accomplishments and entertaining statistical data about team performance and recognition for the champions and their teams.

Do’s and Don’ts of a corporate walking challenge

Conclude your step challenge by appreciating all participants through a formal closing announcement. The closing announcement should include vital accomplishments and entertaining statistical data about team performance and recognition for the champions and their teams.

The success of a walking challenge depends on how well it is planned because quality execution drives employee wellness together with team spirit, while poor execution leads to disengagement.

Here are some do’s and don’ts to keep in mind if you want to run a successful wellness challenge :

Do’s:

• Set clear goals: Your challenge must have clear objectives that specify the health benefits you seek, the team bonding goals you want to reach, or the corporate-wide initiatives you support.
• Choose the right platform: Utilize a user-friendly Platform like Teamupp. It will make tracking and engagement seamless and provide a good experience for every participant
• Encourage inclusivity: Make sure that the step challenge provides multiple fitness options because your employees will differ in physical abilities. Your step challenge should have alternative methods for earning points through biking or active minute participation to ensure fairness during the challenge.
• Communicate regularly: Always communicate with your team to boost their motivation. Consider a weekly performance report and leaderboards to keep everyone on the same page.
• Make it fun: The program will stay engaging if you introduce short competitions and activity themes such as the Earth Day Car-Free Challenge and friendly office competitions.

Don’ts

• Avoid making the challenge too competitive: You should remember that not all your employees are equally capable. If your challenge is too competitive, some people might not be able to keep up and lose interest. Always balance competition with encouragement.
• Don’t rely on manual tracking: Using manual spreadsheets with honor systems produces administrative overload and increases the chances of data inaccuracies. Always use a digital platform like Teamupp to track data through automated systems.
• Don’t exclude remote employees: Ensure virtual workers can fully participate by using an app that syncs with various fitness devices.

How much does it cost to organize a ​corporate walking challenge?

The cost to organize a corporate walking challenge is surprisingly affordable when compared to other wellness programs at the workplace. The expenses for a walking challenge depend on the platform you select, the incentives you provide, and promotional activities.

You can implement basic step-tracking app challenges at low-cost levels or choose to use feature-rich platforms, adding to your overall cost.

But the good news is that you can execute a practical corporate walking challenge with high employee engagement at a low cost. Here are some costs you should consider when planning an event:

1. Step challenge platform costs

The most efficient way to run a walking challenge is through a digital platform that automates step tracking, leaderboards, and engagement. The cost varies depending on the features and number of participants.

• Teamupp offers one of the most affordable and flexible pricing models, starting at just $0.50 per employee per challenge.
• Some apps charge $3–$6 per user per month, depending on the level of customization and extra wellness features.

2. Incentives and rewards (optional, but highly effective)

Adding prizes or incentives boosts motivation and participation. While this isn’t a required cost, companies often budget for :

• Gift cards or small cash prizes ($10–$50 per winner)
• Wellness-related rewards, such as fitness trackers, water bottles, or standing desks
• Extra paid time off (PTO) or ‘wellness days’ for top performers
• Budgeting $200–$500 for incentives can go a long way toward increasing engagement.

3. Marketing and communication costs

Spreading awareness about the challenge ensures employees participate. While digital announcements (emails, Slack or WhatsApp messages) are free, companies may invest in:

• Posters, banners, or flyers ($50–$200 for design and printing)
• Branded challenge swag (T-shirts, wristbands, or tote bags at $5–$15 per item)

4. Administrative time

You will need time to set up the challenge, track progress, and engage employees. With a digital platform like Teamupp, most of this work is automated, reducing administrative burden significantly.

However, if you don’t have a dedicated platform, you may need to invest several hours per week managing spreadsheets and verifying step counts.

Running a corporate walking challenge doesn’t have to be expensive, but the benefits far outweigh the costs. Your employees feel more engaged, healthier, and connected, improving productivity and morale.

Do you want to set up a walking challenge app?

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