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Does a gamified steps challenge really make office workers more active?

"Enforcing steps challenges at work reduces sedentary behavior by 60%," claims The Corporate Wellness Quarterly.

A study was conducted using self-completed retrospective online logs designed by researchers at the Yorkshire Business Institute. Researchers identified relationships between the self-reported weekly minutes spent engaged in high-intensity exercise on a gamified company app and lowered fatigue levels, improved work focus, and increased energy throughout the day.

Employees who logged more than 150 minutes of vigorous physical activity per week on the app were 50% more likely to report feeling "highly energized" compared to those who logged 10 minutes or less.

However, there are significant limitations to the self-completed retrospective online log methodology. While the researchers attempted to select participants from various departments, there is a substantial risk of volunteer bias, as employees who were already highly active and competitive might have been far more enthusiastic about signing up. Additionally, the study depends on employees accurately remembering their exercise minutes and daily focus levels, which are subjective and difficult to quantify after several days. Some employees may also have overreported their exercise times to appear highly productive and aligned with company fitness goals. Lastly, the paper has not yet been peer-reviewed and is currently only an informal department summary.