53 employee challenge ideas to revitalise your company
Introducing a virtual walkathon or any other team-oriented initiative can be a transformative way to boost employee engagement and overall well-being. In today’s dynamic work environment, employees seek connection, motivation, and purpose.
Engaging challenges fosters these aspects and creates a vibrant and supportive company culture.
Today, we offer 53 carefully curated employee challenge ideas, organised across categories, to address diverse aspects of employee engagement and well-being and explain the benefits of implementing challenges for employees.
53 unique employee challenge ideas to foster company engagement
In today’s work environment, fostering employee engagement and well-being has never been more essential.
Whether your team works in the office, remotely, or a mix of both, introducing engaging challenges can significantly uplift morale and create a sense of community. Imagine a workplace where employees are energised, connected, and motivated not just by their tasks but by the shared goals and experiences that bring them together.
These 53 unique employee challenge ideas are designed to breathe life into your company culture and emphasise health and wellness. From invigorating fitness initiatives to mindful moments that nurture mental health, these challenges encourage collaboration, spark creativity, and promote a balanced lifestyle.
Workplace challenges for health and wellness
1. Workplace quality of life week challenge
Focuses on fostering a healthy work environment through ergonomic assessments, scheduled mental breaks, and mini wellness workshops. Teamupp offers tools to track and organise these activities.
2. Pink october challenge
This challenge, available in Teamupp’s App, raises awareness for breast cancer prevention. It includes reminders for self-checks, educational sessions, health screenings, and incentives for engaging employees in health awareness.
Ask for a free trial and test the app with your team today!
3. Deskercise sessions
Incorporates quick, desk-friendly exercise routines that encourage movement throughout the day. Employees can follow short, guided videos to relieve tension and stay active even at their desks.
4. Hydration challenge
Track daily water intake to reach recommended hydration levels. Rewards can be given to those who consistently meet their targets, promoting healthier habits and hydration awareness.
5. Daily stretch breaks
Organise group stretch sessions at designated times each day. These breaks provide a structured opportunity to stretch, reduce tension, and increase flexibility, especially for sedentary roles.
Fitness and sports
6. Step challenge on Teamupp’s app
Create a team-based step challenge with individual and team goals using Teamupp’s tracking features. This encourages daily movement and friendly competition, making fitness fun and accessible.
7. Virtual yoga sessions
Offer weekly virtual yoga classes that employees can join from anywhere. Yoga promotes flexibility, relaxation, and stress relief, making it a popular addition to fitness routines.
8. Push-up challenge
Track progress with daily or weekly push-up goals. This challenge can be done individually or in teams, with progress shared to motivate participants to improve their fitness levels.
9. Outdoor adventure challenge
Encourage weekend hikes, walks, or any outdoor exploration. This challenge promotes physical activity and allows employees to enjoy nature, supporting physical and mental health.
10. Cycling to work week
For one week, incentivise employees to bike to work instead of driving or using public transport. This will promote fitness and support eco-friendly commuting practices.
11. Mini obstacle course
Set up a simple obstacle course at work or in a local park for employees to test their agility and endurance. This fun challenge is ideal for team building and fitness.
Office challenge ideas around nutrition and healthy eating
12. Healthy recipe exchange
Employees share nutritious recipes each week and, if possible, bring samples for others to try. This promotes healthy eating and helps build a culture of wellness through shared experiences.
13. Fruit and veggie day
Designate one day a week when everyone brings a variety of fruits and vegetables to incorporate into their meals. This challenge is a fun way to encourage a balanced diet.
14. Sugar-free challenge
Challenge employees to cut out added sugars for a week or month. This can include tracking sugar intake and providing resources on managing sugar consumption.
15. Lunch swap day
Encourage employees to prepare healthy lunches and swap them with a partner. This will help employees try new foods and promote diverse, nutritious eating habits.
Mental health and mindfulness
16. Mental health month challenge
Through Teamupp’s app, run a month-long challenge with daily mindfulness prompts, gratitude journaling, and stress management webinars. This challenge focuses on mental well-being, with reminders and resources to support participants.
17. Gratitude journal challenge
Encourage employees to keep a daily gratitude journal, noting at least three things they’re thankful for. Journals can be shared weekly, building a positive, reflective habit.
18. Mindful meditation minutes
Offer short, guided meditation sessions daily, virtually or in person. This helps employees reset and reduce stress, fostering a calm workplace environment.
19. Digital detox challenge
Encourage a screen-free break for one day a week to reduce digital fatigue. This challenge emphasises taking a break from screens and helping employees recharge.
20. Random acts of kindness challenge
Challenge employees to perform small acts of kindness, like helping a colleague or leaving a positive note. This helps create a supportive, caring workplace.
Transportation and commuting
21. Eco-friendly commute challenge
Encourage carpooling, biking, walking, or using public transportation. Track participation and reward those who consistently choose sustainable commuting options.
22. Virtual commute challenge
For remote employees, encourage a “commute” through a morning walk or exercise session to simulate a routine. This maintains structure and movement for those working from home.
23. Low carbon day
Challenge employees to minimise their daily carbon footprint by using eco-friendly modes of transport or reducing energy use. Share results to highlight collective impact.
Sustainability and eco-Friendly practices
24. CSR and sustainable development challenge on Teamupp
Inspire eco-friendly actions like recycling, reduced power usage, or sustainable meal choices. Teamupp’s app tracks participation and highlights the impact of each action.
25. Recycling competition
Set up a monthly competition to see which department can recycle the most. This will reinforce recycling habits and create a fun, eco-conscious rivalry.
26. Plastic-free week
Encourage employees to go plastic-free for a week with tips on reducing single-use plastics. Recognise those who commit to reducing plastic waste.
27. Green thumb challenge
Provide small plants for employees to care for at their desks. This will brighten the office and encourage a greener environment.
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Team building and collaboration
28. Teamupp photo challenges
Offer themed photo challenges like “Best Team Selfie” or “My Most Beautiful Christmas Sweater.” Employees can share or keep photos private, building camaraderie through creativity.
29. Office scavenger hunt
Organise a fun scavenger hunt around the office with small prizes. This builds teamwork as employees solve clues and complete tasks together.
30. Virtual coffee buddies
Pair up employees for virtual coffee breaks to encourage casual, friendly interactions, which is especially valuable for remote teams.
31. Carpooling challenge
Reward teams that consistently carpool, reducing emissions and promoting connections among colleagues.
32. Trivia game night
Host a virtual or in-person trivia night covering diverse topics. This can be a fun way for employees to bond while engaging in friendly competition.
33. DIY team t-shirt challenge
Have each team design a unique t-shirt, encouraging creativity and team spirit. Hold a mini competition for the best design.
Skill development and learning
34. Skill swap challenge
Pair employees based on skills they can teach and learn, promoting cross-departmental knowledge-sharing.
35. 30-day learning challenge
Challenge employees to spend 15 minutes a day learning something new, whether work-related or personal and share their progress weekly.
36. Book club
Form a monthly book club where employees read and discuss books on personal growth, industry trends, or fiction, fostering a learning community.
37. Language learning challenge
Encourage employees to pick up a new language using an app like Duolingo, sharing progress in weekly check-ins.
Community service and volunteering
38. Volunteer day challenge
Organise a volunteer day when teams participate in community projects and follow up to discuss impact and insights.
39. Fundraiser competition
Create friendly competition among teams to raise funds for a charity, building social responsibility and teamwork.
40. Local clean-up day
Plan a day when employees volunteer to clean up a local park or community space, making a positive impact.
Work-life balance
41. Digital detox day
Promote a screen-free day to encourage offline relaxation and work-life balance.
42. Family day
Host a family-friendly event or allow employees to bring their families to the office for a day to support family bonding.
43. Flexible schedule challenge
Offer a week when employees can choose flexible work hours, promoting balance and trust.
44. Hobby sharing sessions
Encourage employees to share hobbies, like painting or playing an instrument, to showcase talents and encourage interests outside work.
Financial wellness
45. Budgeting bootcamp
Offer workshops on budgeting and saving, with follow-up goals to keep employees engaged.
46. Investment basics challenge
Host sessions on investment basics to boost financial literacy and confidence.
47. Savings goal challenge
Encourage employees to set a small savings goal, with check-ins to track progress and celebrate achievements.
Personal development and goal setting
48. Vision board challenge
Organise a walkathon challenge with the Vision Board Challenge, which employees can join from anywhere. Highlight the benefits of a walkathon, such as promoting health, teamwork, and a shared sense of purpose, while encouraging participants to create vision boards that reflect goals they want to achieve during or after the walkathon. Participants can share photos of their completed boards on a workplace platform to inspire others and foster a positive, goal-oriented community.
49. 30-day goal challenge
Transform the 30-Day Goal Challenge into a workplace challenge where employees embark on personal or team goals related to professional and wellness interests. To motivate participants, introduce a leaderboard to track achievements or offer small rewards for those who complete their goals.
50. Public speaking club
Establish a virtual public speaking club as part of the office challenge ideas, making it more accessible for remote employees. This will build confidence and strengthen communication skills across the organisation.
Gratitude and positivity
51. Gratitude wall
Create a virtual Gratitude Wall that employees can access online and post messages, notes, or images expressing gratitude. To enhance participation, consider weekly themes where employees can focus on different aspects of gratitude and encourage them to share their thoughts in team meetings.
52. Compliment challenge
Take the Compliment Challenge virtual by encouraging employees to send daily positive affirmations or compliments through a dedicated online platform or chat group. You might gamify this challenge, setting milestones for those who consistently participate and rewarding them with recognition.
53. Positive feedback loop
Implement a Positive Feedback Loop by creating a digital platform where employees can anonymously share positive feedback about their colleagues. Make this part of a monthly workplace challenge theme, encouraging everyone to participate.
What are the benefits of implementing challenges for employees?
AS we just saw in the list above, employees’ challenges can take various forms, from goal-setting initiatives to team-based competitions, and can be tailored to fit different organisational cultures and objectives.
As employees engage in these activities, they often discover untapped potential, foster collaboration, and generate innovative ideas that benefit themselves and the organisation. Here are some of the key advantages of implementing challenges for employees:
- Skill Development: Challenges encourage employees to learn new skills and expand their existing knowledge, fostering personal growth and professional development.
- Increased Engagement: Challenges can boost employee morale and engagement by introducing goals and competitions, making work more enjoyable and stimulating. As the Journal of Organizational Behavior shows, engaged employees are 87% less likely to leave their organisations and perform 20% better.
- Team Collaboration: Many challenges promote teamwork, helping to improve communication and collaboration among employees, which can strengthen relationships and build trust.
- Innovation and Creativity: Challenges typically require creative problem-solving, prompting employees to think outside the box and devise innovative solutions.
- Performance Improvement: By setting measurable goals, challenges can motivate employees to improve their performance and productivity, leading to better results.
- Recognition and Rewards: Implementing challenges can create opportunities for recognition and rewards, further motivating employees and increasing job satisfaction.
- Adaptability: Facing challenges teaches employees how to navigate change and deal with setbacks, enhancing their resilience and adaptability in the workplace.
Implementing these workplace challenges and office challenge ideas can significantly boost engagement, well-being, and team spirit within your company.
Start introducing these creative challenges today to foster a more connected, motivated, and healthier workplace culture with Teamupp’s app. Get in touch with us.
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