And they’re off and running. Or walking. Or doing anything, quite frankly, that keeps Western moving.
Starting May 28, 168 Western employees, making up 24 teams, have joined 57,000 teams from 1,500 of the world’s large organizations in the Global Corporate Challenge (GCC), a workplace health and wellbeing program aimed at changing the behaviour and improving the health of employees around the world.
Australian Olympic champion Herb Elliott and advertising executive Glenn Riseley founded the challenge in 2004 in Melbourne, Australia. Since, it has grown into a worldwide workplace phenomenon.
Western teams are participating in the 100 Day Journey. In May, participants received a starter pack that included two accelerometers. For each of the 100 days of the GCC, individuals enter their daily physical activity into the GCC website. Steps are then converted to a kilometre/mile distance, and the team’s progression is plotted along a virtual tour of the world. Rewards and achievements are unlocked along the way.
Participants aim for 10,000 steps per day – the World Health Organization recommended average daily steps for a lifestyle to be considered active.
If it sounds like organizers are making a game of the challenge, they are.
“It’s the game of it that can keep people motivated. It’s fun,” said Louise Koza, total compensation director for Western’s Human Resources. “You might take that extra walk around campus, or at home with the dog, to chase the next goal. Nothing makes you quite as conscious about the challenge as the game aspect of it.”
The 100 Day Journey ends on Sept. 4, but the benefits, hopefully, will continue for years.
“We want to improve the overall wellness of the university – both mental and physical,” Koza continued. “It’s better for the employee and better for Western – not just from a money standpoint – it’s about keeping you here, keeping you healthy and keeping you productive.”