Benefits
- Affordable: No cost, but you can provide your own prizes to make it even better!
- Turnkey: From planning to promotion and implementations, they're ready to use.
- Team-focused fun: Improves morale and social connections.
- Flexible: Can be done any time during the year.
- Life-changing: Participants report losing weight, quitting smoking, and feeling better.
- Incentives: Challenge coordinator earns $20 gift card just for completing program evaluation and organization is entered into a drawing for $100 gift card.
Pick a challenge that's right for your worksite!
| Challenge |
Theme |
Length |
Tracking |
Sponsor |
| Shape Up |
Eating five fruits and vegetables, getting exercise, managing stress, sleeping, and doing acts of kindness |
6 weeks |
Paper |
Medica |
| Get Moving |
Physical activity |
6 weeks |
Paper |
Medica |
| Active for Life |
Physical activity |
10 weeks |
Online and Paper |
American Cancer Society |
| Start! Walking Now |
Physical activity/walking and nutrition |
Customizable |
Online and smart phone |
American Heart Association |
Shape Up
The Shape Up Challenge helps your employees become more aware of the benefits of physical activity, better nutrition, and changing other behaviors. The challenge lasts six weeks and provides employees a chance for both personal achievement and friendly competition with others.
Features
- Points for multiple behaviors - exercise, diet, stress, sleeping and "acts of kindness"
- Weekly wellness newsletters and email messages
- Tracking on paper
- Six weeks long
Participation
It's easy to get started. To participate, simply follow the steps below.
- Identify an enthusiastic person to act as the coordinator -- someone who can spend two to five hours weekly motivating employees to improve their health. You might also consider forming a committee to help plan and implement the program.
- Read the step-by-step instructions in the Coordinator Manual.
- Develop implementation and communications plans that fit your organization.
- Decide whether to offer prizes/incentives (see below).
- Print any promotional materials you need.
- Do the challenge!
- Complete a program evaluation within 30 days.
Share your experience and earn rewards
Afterwards, complete a program evaluation and earn rewards for both the coordinator and your organization! The coordinator will get a $20 gift card in their name to one of over 300 stores such as Target, Sports Authority, and more. Your organization will also be entered in a drawing for a $100 gift card to use toward your wellness program.
Note: To be eligible for the gift cards, the evaluation must be done within 30 days of completing the challenge. One gift card per company per challenge. The drawing will take place December 14, 2013.
Questions?
Email us at healthchallenges@medica.com or contact your account manager.
Materials
Special promotions for Medica members only
Incentives
Get Moving
The Get Moving Challenge is designed to ... get your employees moving! It's a friendly competition where employees earn points for being active. During the six-week event, participants choose activities that best fit their lifestyle and goals. Activities can include things like walking, jogging, biking, swimming, hiking, dancing, or yoga and can be combined to make the challenge more interesting.
Features
- Points for exercising
- Weekly wellness newsletters and email messages
- Tracking on paper
- Six weeks long
Participation
It's easy to get started. To participate, simply follow the steps below.
- Identify an enthusiastic person to act as the coordinator - someone who can spend two to five hours weekly motivating employees to improve their health. You might also consider forming a committee to help plan and implement the program.
- Read the step-by-step instructions in the Coordinator Manual.
- Develop implementation and communications plans that fit your organization.
- Decide whether to offer prizes/incentives.
- Print any promotional materials you need.
- Do the challenge!
- Complete a program evaluation within 30 days.
Share your experience and earn rewards
Afterwards, complete a program evaluation and earn rewards for both the coordinator and your organization! The coordinator will get a $20 gift card in their name to one of over 300 stores such as Target, Sports Authority, and more. Your organization will also be entered in a drawing for a $100 gift card to use toward your wellness program.
Note: To be eligible for the gift cards, the evaluation must be done within 30 days of completing the challenge. One gift card per company per challenge. The drawing will take place December 14, 2013.
Questions?
Email us at healthchallenges@medica.com or contact your account manager.
Materials
Special promotions for Medica members only
Incentives
Active for Life
Active for Life is a 10-week program that encourages employees to be more active. Participants set individual goals based on how active they are and how active they want to be. Goals can be moderate (like walking or taking the stairs) or intense (like running or tennis). Participants receive points for minutes they are active. Each person also belongs to a team, which is rewarded as its members make progress.
Features
- Customized website or offline/paper available
- Weekly wellness newsletters
- Optional weight and nutrition tracks
- Detailed reports for all user roles
Participation
It's easy to get started. To participate, simply follow the steps below.
- Identify an enthusiastic person to act as the coordinator - someone who can spend two to five hours weekly motivating employees to improve their health. You might also consider forming a committee to help plan and implement the program.
- Contact a local American Cancer Society representative: 1-800-227-2345
or online.
- Work with the rep to set up a customized website if you'd like.
- Follow the step-by-step instructions provided by the representative.
- Develop implementation and communications plans that fit your organization.
- Decide whether or not to offer prizes/incentives.
- Print any promotional materials you need.
- Do the challenge!
- Complete a program evaluation within 30 days.
Share your experience and earn rewards
Afterwards, complete a program evaluation and earn rewards for both the coordinator and your organization! The coordinator will get a $20 gift card in their name to one of over 300 stores such as Target, Sports Authority, and more. Your organization will also be entered in a drawing for a $100 gift card to use toward your wellness program.
Note: To be eligible for the gift cards, the evaluation must be done within 30 days of completing the challenge. One gift card per company per challenge. The drawing will take place December 14, 2013.
Questions?
Email us at healthchallenges@medica.com or call the American Cancer Society at 1-800-227-2345.
Materials
Visit Active for Life for all materials.
Start! Walking Now
The centerpiece of this program is the Activity Tracker, a free tool that helps employees make positive lifestyle changes through walking and a better diet. It's a great way for your employees to track their progress as part of a walking program where employees create walking path around work or at home using Google Maps.
Features
- Track Physical activity and diet
- Find a Walking Path tool
- Smart phone integration with apps for Android and iPhone
- Nutrition and physical activity tips to help achieve goals
Participation
- Identify an enthusiastic person to act as the coordinator.
- Decide how long you want your program to be.
- Register your organization's HR delegate/administrator by signing up here.
- Send a message to your employees encouraging them to start walking and tracking their activities using the website.*
- Consider offering incentives. The Activity Tracker allows participants to show their online progress.
- Do the challenge!
- Complete a program evaluation within 30 days.
Share your experience and earn rewards
Afterwards, complete a program evaluation and earn rewards for both the coordinator and your organization! The coordinator will get a $20 gift card in their name to one of over 300 stores such as Target, Sports Authority, and more. Your organization will also be entered in a drawing for a $100 gift card to use toward your wellness program.
Note: To be eligible for the gift cards, the evaluation must be done within 30 days of completing the challenge. One gift card per company per challenge. The drawing will take place December 14, 2013.
Questions?
Email us at healthchallenges@medica.com, contact your account manager, or call the American Heart Association at 1-800-AHA-USA-1.
Materials
Visit Start! Walking Now for all materials.