From Desks to Dumbbells: Fun Exercise Challenges to Boost Your Workplace Vibe
June 2025
Let’s face it—between Zoom calls, spreadsheets, and 3pm biscuit runs, movement isn’t always top of the workplace agenda. But with just a little creativity, companies can turn health into a team-powered, feel-good challenge (and yes, still have time for biscuits).
Here’s how to get your team moving—and loving it!
Workplace Fitness Challenge Ideas
1. Step It Up Challenge
Set a weekly step goal—either individual or team-based. Use smartwatches or phone apps to track.
Twist: Compete between departments and offer prizes for top steppers.
Benefits: Increases daily movement, breaks up sedentary habits, and fuels friendly competition.
2. Lunchtime Dash
Encourage 20-minute lunchtime walks, jogs, or stair climbs.
Twist: Map a local “power loop” around your office or create a digital hall of fame for loop champions.
Benefits: Boosts afternoon focus, supports heart health, and gets people away from their desks.
3. Office Olympics
Create a week of mini events: chair sprints, desk yoga, paper toss accuracy, plank-off challenges.
Twist: Award medals or mugs and share highlights on internal channels.
Benefits: Encourages camaraderie and laughter while getting people moving.
4. Wellness Bingo
Create a bingo card with fitness or wellbeing actions: “Took the stairs,” “Walked 5,000+ steps,” “Joined a stretch break.”
Twist: Offer spot prizes for the first completed rows or full cards.
Benefits: Encourages variety, daily participation, and mental health check-ins.
5. Deskercise Sessions
Host 5-minute “move breaks” led by a staff member or video—think squats, shoulder rolls, or desk stretches.
Twist: Let different departments host or theme the sessions (e.g. 80s Aerobics Friday!).
Benefits: Reduces stiffness, improves posture, and brings humour to the workday.
6. Cycle or Commute to Work Challenge
Encourage greener, active commutes with a team leaderboard tracking miles covered.
Twist: Partner with a local bike shop for discounts or tune-ups.
Benefits: Reduces carbon footprint, builds cardio fitness, and supports sustainability goals.
7. "Move for a Cause" Month
Turn steps or minutes of movement into donations. For every milestone reached, the company donates to charity.
Twist: Let employees vote on the charity.
Benefits: Blends physical health with purpose—great for morale and company culture.
Don’t Forget the Field: Keeping Lone Workers Active & Connected
From engineers and utility workers to delivery drivers, many employees work solo or off-site. Here's how to include them:
Every Move Counts Team Challenge
Log any physical activity: walking between site visits, unloading gear, or site walks.
Twist: Colour-code teams by location or role. Leaderboards keep everyone engaged.
Benefits: Celebrates movement in all forms and builds unity across roles.
Field Fitness Photo Challenges
Lone workers snap a photo of their daily “active moment” and share it.
Twist: Create a gallery or spotlight winners in your newsletter.
Benefits: Builds visibility and connection across dispersed teams.
Active Mileage Rewards
Reward field movement: points for miles moved, redeemable for swag or vouchers.
Twist: Make it collaborative—if the company hits 10,000 miles, everyone wins.
Benefits: Keeps remote staff motivated and part of the action.
Fitness Packs for Field Teams
Send branded fitness kits: resistance bands, hydration bottles, pedometers.
Twist: Add personal notes or QR codes to guided stretch videos.
Benefits: Shows care and encourages daily movement in low-effort ways.
Real-World Wins: UK Companies Crushing Team Fitness & Wellbeing 15-Minute Everyday Challenge
Across 73 companies—including several in the UK—11,575 employees participated in the “15‑Minute Challenge” in 2024. Participants logged 15 minutes of daily physical activity (walk, stretch, etc.) for six weeks. The outcomes?
95% of participants met or exceeded national activity guidelines
Fitness improved by 14%, energy by 12%, and mood uplifted by ~7%
Plus better sleep and mental health—highlighting that small, daily habits really move the needle wellbeingatwork.eastsussex.gov.uk+1healthclubmanagement.co.uk+1healthclubmanagement.co.uk+8thesun.co.uk+8reddit.com+8
In practice, this kind of challenge could be ideal for desk-based or lone workers—just 15 active minutes a day while out on site or between calls can make a big difference.
NatWest & GoJoe “Go!24”
Since late 2023, NatWest employees have engaged with GoJoe’s “Go!24” challenge—an Olympic-themed wellness programme culminating around the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Over 1.4 million activity sessions logged
Features included goal-setting webinars with Olympians, live workouts, and an in-app interactive baton map
Within just two weeks, 86% of participants hit or significantly moved toward their personal goals gojoe.com
This sets the bar high: large-scale engagement, expert content, gamification, and active encouragement—all under one campaign.
FGH Security’s Couch-to-5K Initiative
FGH Security (offices across Liverpool, London, Manchester) introduced a weekly Couch‑to‑5K running club in 2024.
777 employees participated, boosting both health and team connection gojoe.compersonneltoday.com+13thetimes.co.uk+13reddit.com+13
Weekly group runs supported flexibility and informal learning
Aligned with broader wellbeing initiatives—including development budgets and higher education support
The result: a more energised and cohesive workforce, with fitness woven into the company culture.
How to Build on These Ideas
Launch a “15-Minute Daily Move” programme across all roles—cleaners, drivers, office, field—tracked via simple app or manual logs.
Create a company-wide challenge (e.g. aligned to an event, charity, or seasonal theme) with real experts or ambassadors.
Introduce weekly social activity, whether it’s a walk, brief workout, or stretch session led by staff or remote coach.
Share and celebrate widely—leaderboard highlights, photo challenges, stories, and prizes.
Reward milestones—company-branded kit, vouchers, time-off.
By learning from proven examples like NatWest, FGH Security, and the 15‑Minute Challenge, you can design a program that all employees—desk or field—can rally around. When fitness becomes corporate culture, everybody wins.
