Step counter challenges have a bad reputation as mandatory wellness – and a good reputation as an entry-level format for anyone starting with WHP. When implemented correctly, they are neither one nor the other, but rather a low-threshold community experience that a company can launch without a budget.
Why is 1 million steps as a team different from 10,000 per person?
A shared team goal creates collective responsibility without personal pressure. If you only manage 4,000 steps in a day, you know that others will make up for it. If you hit 18,000, you’re happy because you’re pushing the group forward. This interplay ensures that people who would never talk about sports suddenly ask at lunch: “How many have you done today?” Physical activity becomes a social topic – and that’s the real effect.
What remains after four weeks?
The ranking ends, but the habit doesn’t necessarily. If you’ve paid attention to your steps every day for four weeks, you’ve developed an awareness of your daily movement that you didn’t have before. Taking the stairs instead of the elevator, going for a walk during breaks, getting off the bus five minutes earlier – these small shifts don’t happen through conviction, but through habit. How you can measure the impact beyond participation is explained in the guide Measuring WHP Impact.
How do you put the measure in place?
- 1Decide on the tracking method: whiteboard in the break room or a shared app – as simple as possible
- 2Choose teams or individual scoring and define fair rules (e.g. steps per person, so that group sizes do not matter)
- 3Set the duration (4 weeks) and a small symbolic prize for the winning group
- 4Present the challenge, explain the rules and period, and show the tracking board or app
- 5Split into teams or open individual sign-up, and set a clear starting signal
- 6Give first motivation – e.g. suggest a shared lunchtime walk as an easy step booster
- 7Update the interim ranking visibly at least once a week and celebrate it briefly
- 8Set small prompts – e.g. a “stairs bonus day” or a walking meeting as a chance for steps
- 9Motivate people to keep going, and recognise the lower places too, so that nobody drops out
- 10Announce the final ranking in a festive way and hand over the symbolic prize
- 11Ask the team whether more everyday movement has stuck and what was fun
- 12Decide on a continuation or a new challenge format
What do you need for it?
- Effort
- half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Setup
- 60 min
- ✓ Gamification
- ✓ Team building
- ✓ Measurable
- ✓ Flexible
Tax and health insurance: what is possible
Employer health benefits can be tax-free under § 3 no. 34 of the German Income Tax Act (EStG) up to €600 per employee per year — if they are provided in addition to the salary already owed and are either certified (§ 20 SGB V) or implemented within the company's health promotion process. Gym memberships and corporate fitness are not covered. For ZPP-certified courses (e.g. from Upfit), German statutory health insurers can reimburse all or part of the course fee to their insured members — then only the amount exceeding that reimbursement is tax-free. Projects within the company can be funded under § 20b SGB V, with no entitlement. Only your tax adviser can confirm the tax exemption.
How it works in EasyWHP
This Best Practice in EasyWHP: adopt it, adapt it, measure the effect
Once adopted, the measure is ready in EasyWHP — with instructions, an invitation and surveys before and after. You adapt what fits your company and see at the end what it achieved.
Screenshots with demo data, no real people.
Adopt it for your company
Register for free — and the measure is ready to go in your cockpit: invitation, feedback survey and appointment are already set up. First cycle, first numbers for the boss.
Try EasyWHP for freeRather take a look first? To the live demo →
Contributes to
Measure the impact with
Action field
Physical Activity →A fitting occasion
- European Mobility Week
Related Best Practices
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