Team events
Team building step challenge: a ready event plan
A step challenge is a team activity everyone can join from wherever they are, so it suits an office, a remote team or a mix of both. Here is a plan you can drop into an event agenda, from the first announcement to the results.
Prefer the app? You can create your challenge there too.
Set it up in three steps
- 1
Create a challenge
On the web or in the OutPace app. Pick Steps, set the dates to match your event, and give it a name.
- 2
Add the teams
As the creator, add two or more teams and name them. Put people on teams yourself, or have everyone split evenly at random.
- 3
Share one link
Put the challenge link in the event invite. Everyone joins from the same link and connects their phone or watch.
Events it fits
A team building week
Five to seven days, team against team. Short enough that everyone stays in to the end.
A wellness week
The activity that runs all week in the background, next to whatever else is on the agenda.
An offsite or retreat
Start it the morning people arrive and read out the standings at the last session.
Remote and hybrid teams
Nobody has to be in the same place. Each person’s steps count by their own day in their own time zone.
A company month
Set department against department or office against office for a full month, then run a new round.
A club or friends weekend
Pick captains and have everyone else split at random, or keep it everyone for themselves.
A sample agenda
One week before: announce the challenge, its dates and the teams. Share the link so people can join and connect a phone or watch ahead of time.
Day one: open with a short kickoff. Put the leaderboard on a screen and check that everyone has joined.
Midway: share the standings in your team chat or at a stand-up. A walking meeting or a group walk at lunch brings people back in.
Last day: remind everyone to check that their phone or watch has synced. On OutPace a challenge ends at the end of its last day.
The day after: announce the winners once the results are settled. On OutPace results are final at 6:00 PM the next day so watches that sync late are counted.
Keep the prizes friendly. Bragging rights, a team lunch, or a donation the winning team picks all work. Prizes are yours to choose and hand out.
Good to know
- What does it cost?
- Nothing. Creating and joining challenges is free, with no credit card.
- How long should a team building step challenge run?
- One work week fits most events and is easy to finish. For a company month, run a full month and then start a new round.
- Does it work for remote and hybrid teams?
- Yes. Everyone joins from the same link wherever they are, and each person’s steps count by their own day in their own time zone.
- How do we keep the teams fair?
- Keep teams close in size, because a team’s total is the sum of its members’ steps. Mixing departments on each team, or having everyone split evenly at random, keeps it friendly.
- Is there an announcement we can copy?
- Yes. The OutPace guide to running a step challenge at work includes an announcement you can copy into an email or a chat.
- Is there something for HR or IT to read first?
- Yes. The OutPace security page covers what an employer can and cannot see, where data is hosted, and how long it is kept.
- How many people can join?
- A new challenge holds 20 people. Bigger group? Tap Request more spots on your challenge page and we will take a look.
- Can friends with different phones and watches join?
- Yes. iPhone and Android work in the same challenge, and activity comes from Apple Health, Health Connect, Garmin and more. Many other watches and apps reach OutPace through Apple Health on iPhone or Health Connect on Android.
- Is there a team challenge we can join without setting one up?
- 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.
Get your group moving together
Sign up free, then create your challenge. It takes a few minutes.
Start a team challengePrefer the app? You can create your challenge there too.