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Workplace Challenge Coordinator
The Challenge Coordinator is responsible for overseeing the implementation of the Challenge/s. The main responsibility of the Challenge Coordinator will be to provide leadership, direction and motivation. The 10,000 Steps Challenge has 4 stages; planning, promotion, implementation and evaluation. These stages are presented as a guide only to assist you in the implementation of the program.
Planning – The Challenge Coordinator recruits and communicates with Team Captains, with Captains recruiting and communicating with the Challenge Participants.
Promotion – Includes spreading the word about the 10,000 Steps program and getting people excited about participating. Promotion should use all of the organisations available assets to appropriately and effectively encourage maximum participation. Some examples of communication modes include; staff meetings, bulletin boards, emails and payslips.
An example email:
Subject: 10,000 Steps Physical Activity Program
“Would you like to look and feel better about yourself? By participating in a simple physical activity program called 10,000 Steps and using a pedometer you will be taking the first and often most difficult step towards better health. Adding to this, you will have the encouragement and support of management and your co-workers. Simply reply to this email advising your interest and a Team Captain will contact you about getting started.”
Download a simple "How to Register" guide for your participants.
Implementation – This includes administration of the challenge resources, including pedometers and outlines for Team Captains and Challenge Participants. Again the Coordinator communicates with the Captains and Captains will communicate with Participants.
Evaluation – This involves a review of the challenge implementation. Ask for feedback from participants and captains. This information could be useful when reporting back to management on the success of the program. It may also assist with managements commitment to similar programs in the future.
If necessary adapt the Challenge to suit your organisation’s culture. Be creative and make it fun. Making lifestyle changes is easier for
people if they have fun in the process.
For more information on the Workplace Challenge please visit the Provider section
The Steps
1. Management Support
Explain the benefits of the Challenge to management and ask for support through participation, time and funding. Getting visible management support for the challenge provides two benefits:
• It creates management buy-in for a workplace culture that supports wellness and healthy lifestyles.
• It will also increase the perception among employees that their employer recognises the value of their health and well-being.
2. Communicate
Keep Management updated about challenge planning, recruitment, employee participation and goals accomplished. Coordinate and schedule challenge milestones (eg; reaching key destinations during the challenges) so that management may help, lead or be visible where possible. Keeping management informed throughout the program will help pave the way for this and other future employee health promotion efforts.
3. Pick Effective Team Captains
Recruit Captains and define their role in the Challenge with the use of the Team Captain outline.
4. Create Good Teams
Setting up teams based on an organisational chart helps to emphasise managerial support for the challenge and ensure that every person in the organisation has the opportunity to participate. Remember to encourage inactive employees to participate. The best health outcomes can be seen in those that move from no physical activity to even just a little physical activity. The Challenge should not be about active people becoming more active, but about raising activity awareness for everyone.
5. Incentives
Decide on incentives for the challenge (incentive items can be purchased from 10,000 Steps, including; waterbottles and mousepads). Further items can be secured from community groups that your organisation deals with. Plan ahead and start incentive solicitation as early as possible. Be sure to use all methods and resources to promote the challenge. Incentives can be used to reward participants who achieve goals, those who improve the most or anything else deemed suitable. It is recommended that incentives not be used to encourage a competition or race between teams. A competitive environment is not conducive to encouraging inactive individuals to participate.
6. Launching The Challenge
The magnitude and content will depend upon the resources, interest and enthusiasm of the participants and organisation. However, it is a great way to gather support and generate enthusiasm for the Challenge.
7. Coordinator’s Access
10,000 Steps have added another function to their Step Log! Your workplace’s Coordinator/s can now get access to every team’s Activity Summary, allowing them to see how all of your workplace team’s are progressing! The summaries are displayed in an excel worksheet for easy storage!
