Queensland charity Healthy Workplaces has released a free app to help companies keep their work-from-home employees healthy and engaged during the Covid-19 pandemic.
From 4th May the Step Forward app is available in the app store to download anywhere in the world for free. CEOs and HR managers can invite their employees to download the app and participate in the 10,000-steps-per-day challenge.
Healthy Workplaces Founder, Tudor Marsden-Huggins says, “Many of our partners and previous Tour de Office [the charity’s signature cycling event] participants have been asking us how to keep people motivated to stay fit and mentally healthy while stuck at home.”
“HR managers are anxious that their people are waking up each day, working from the dining room table in their pyjamas and then watching Netflix in the afternoons. Not to mention the anecdotal indications that alcohol consumption has increased dramatically as well.”
Global steps have plummeted. As the lockdown took hold in March, Data from Withings reveals China’s Hubei province step count has decreased by 56%, Spain by 41%, Italy by 28%, and France by 27%.
Less than 1 in 5 Australians are reaching the recommended 10,000 steps per day.
Healthy Workplaces Chairman, Gary Smith says, “Now you can motivate and reward your team for keeping their activity up, while keeping them engaged with their peers via healthy competition.”
Another point of difference for the Step Forward challenge is that you don’t need to be the fastest or fittest to win – all you need to do is accumulate a high step count to shoot to the top of the leader board.
Event weeks are open to sponsorship. Scout Talent and NetEngine have committed to offering a number of attractive prizes and sponsoring event weeks during May.
Healthy Workplaces Ltd (founded in 2011) is the charity behind Tour de office which provides ‘off-the-shelf’ workplace wellness and fundraising events, and the new Step Forward app.
To date, it has raised over $1.25 million for charity, with participating organisations including EY, Origin Energy, Optus, Scout Talent, TechnologyOne, Deloitte and CommBank.
Marsden-Huggins says, “Feedback from a number of employers already participating in Step Forward challenge have already reported it’s been a powerful way to motivate and engage their team members during this time.”
For more information, visit the Step Forward website