Guide
How to run a free step challenge at work
A step challenge is one of the easiest ways to get coworkers moving, in the office or remote. Here is how to plan one in an afternoon, with rules people think are fair and a message you can copy to announce it.
7 steps to a step challenge at work
- 1
Pick a format
Everyone for themselves is simplest. Team against team, like departments or offices, gets people cheering each other on. If you want a light weekly habit instead of a big event, a team goal for the week works well.
- 2
Pick dates and a length
Two to four weeks is long enough to build a habit and short enough to stay exciting. Start on a Monday and give people a few days of notice so they can sign up and connect their phone or watch first.
- 3
Set rules people think are fair
Count steps from each person’s phone or watch, not numbers typed in by hand. Say up front whether everyone competes for total steps or teams compete on their combined total, and when final results are posted.
- 4
Build the teams
Keep teams close in size so no team wins on headcount. Mix fast walkers and newer movers across teams, and let remote coworkers join any team.
- 5
Announce it
Post one message in Slack, Teams or email with the dates, the teams and a single sign up link. The template below has everything people need.
- 6
Keep it going
Share the leaderboard once or twice a week, call out good days, and give quick shout outs in the group chat. Small nudges keep people moving more than a big kickoff does.
- 7
Wrap it up
Post the final results, thank everyone who took part, and ask what they would change. If it went well, run it again next month.
Free announcement template
Copy this into Slack, Teams or email and fill in the parts in brackets.
Subject: Join our step challenge, starting Monday [start date] We are running a free step challenge from [start date] to [end date]. How to join: open [challenge link], sign up free, and connect your phone or watch. Your steps count on their own, so there is nothing to type in. Teams: [team names] Questions? Ask [your name].
Spreadsheet or app?
A shared spreadsheet is free and works for a small group, but everyone has to type in their steps every day. People forget, numbers get disputed, and the challenge fades by week two.
An app that syncs steps from each person’s phone or watch keeps the leaderboard current on its own. OutPace does that for free: create a private challenge, split it into teams, and share one link.
Create a private challenge
On the web or in the OutPace app. Pick Steps, set the dates and name it after your team.
Add teams
As the creator, split the challenge into two or more teams. The leaderboard shows team totals too.
Share one link
Paste it into your announcement. Coworkers sign up free, connect their phone or watch, and their steps count automatically.
Prefer the app? You can create your challenge there too.
Common questions
- What does it cost?
- Nothing. Creating and joining challenges on OutPace is free, with no credit card.
- How many coworkers can join?
- A new challenge holds 20 people. Bigger team? Tap Request more spots on your challenge page and we will take a look.
- What if people have different phones and watches?
- iPhone and Android work in the same challenge. Steps come from Apple Health, Health Connect, Garmin and more, and many other watches reach OutPace through Apple Health or Health Connect.
- Do steps typed in by hand count?
- No. Only steps synced from a phone or watch count, which keeps the leaderboard fair.
- Who sees the results?
- A private challenge is not listed publicly. Only people with your link can join, and members see each other’s totals on the leaderboard, so let people know before they sign up.
- When are the final results ready?
- A challenge ends at the end of its last day, and results are final at 6 PM the next day so late syncing devices still count.
- Can we run it every month?
- Yes. A challenge that runs a full calendar month, or exactly one week, can be set to repeat, and the next round starts on its own.
- Is there a weekly team challenge we can just join?
- Yes. The Weekly Relay is a free team challenge that runs every Monday through Sunday. Teams of up to 5 work toward Bronze, Silver and Gold goals together.
Questions? Email contact@outpace.fit. Read the privacy policy.