TOP 5 STRATEGIES TO MOTIVATE EMPLOYEES TO GET MOVING

Why movement and walking matters for employee wellbeing

Moving more – in whatever way works for you – is a simple and powerful way to boost physical and mental wellbeing. It’s something many people can do in some form, regardless of fitness level.

For employees, moving more – whether that’s walking, wheeling or taking regular stretch breaks – can reduce stress, boost mood and energy levels, support cardiovascular health and help maintain a healthy weight.

For employers, encouraging more movement can lead to improved productivity, lower rates of absenteeism, and a more energised and engaged workforce.

But while many of us understand the benefits, turning movement and walking into a consistent daily habit can be difficult – especially in desk-based or remote roles where movement may be limited.

That’s why employers have an important role to play in creating the conditions that make movement and walking easy, rewarding and social.

With the right strategies, you can embed it into your company culture – and help your people feel better, work better and live healthier lives.

Tracking progress to build momentum
One of the most effective ways to help employees build healthy habits is by encouraging them to track their movement – whether that's counting steps, distance travelled or minutes active.

Seeing their daily or weekly progress laid out visually, whether through a fitness tracker, smartphone app or basic pedometer, can be a powerful motivator.

Step-tracking tools, such as Apple Health, Google Fit, Strava or MapMyWalk, are readily available, while many wearable devices allow users to monitor steps, distance, calories and more.

In fact, platforms and wearables allow individuals to monitor a range of activity types – including wheeling or upper-body cardio – not just walking.

Some organisations go a step further by creating shared dashboards or syncing data across teams, building a collective sense of achievement.

This visibility is key. When employees can see how small actions add up, it fosters a sense of progress and helps turn one-off efforts into long-term habits.
Fun through gamification
Gamification – the use of game-style elements in non-game settings – has become a popular and proven way to encourage healthy behaviours in the workplace.

By turning movement and walking into a challenge, a team effort, or even a light-hearted competition, you can help employees feel more engaged in the process.

For example, some businesses run company-wide step challenges where teams aim to ‘walk’ a virtual route between global office locations or compete to see who can log the most consistent progress over a month.

Celebrating milestones with virtual badges or prizes, introducing leaderboards, or even creating themed walking events can spark motivation.

Some employee benefits platforms now include built-in reward and recognition features, enabling team challenges, activity streaks and incentive tracking – all of which can support sustained behaviour change in a fun, inclusive way.

The most successful gamified approaches reward participation and progress, not just high performers – helping everyone feel part of the journey.
Using incentives to reinforce the habit
While intrinsic motivation, such as improved wellbeing, is important, external rewards can help kickstart new habits, especially in the early stages.

Incentives don’t need to be big to be effective. A gift voucher, an extra half-day off or a simple public “thank you” can go a long way.

What’s important is that employees feel their efforts are noticed and appreciated.

Some organisations integrate walking incentives into their wider employee benefits offering, tying step challenges to wellbeing budgets or allowing points earned through activity to be redeemed against rewards.

Others use spot prizes or raffles, where everyone who hits a minimum weekly step target is entered into a draw.

Ultimately, incentives are most effective when they reinforce consistency, not just occasional peaks.

Recognising progress, however small, helps people stay on track and shows that wellbeing really is a workplace priority.
Embedding movement into the working day
Building habits takes time – and to be sustainable, movement needs to be part of the working routine.

That might mean encouraging walking or wheeling meetings, particularly for one-to-ones and idea-generating sessions.

It could also include scheduled movement breaks or “step away from your screen” reminders during the day.

Some teams set shared calendar alerts to get up and stretch, or encourage lunch-hour walks, wheeling routes or fresh-air breaks.

Active commuting can also play a role. Whether walking, wheeling or cycling all or part of the way, providing facilities such as lockers or showers can make this a more realistic option.

Importantly, these habits need to be role-modelled from the top. When leaders and managers prioritise movement, others feel more empowered to follow suit.
Creating a culture that moves together
Sustainable change is about more than individual behaviour, it’s about shaping a culture that values wellbeing and makes it easy to do the right thing.

This starts with communication. Sharing stories and testimonials from employees who’ve embraced movement – whether walking, wheeling or getting more active in other ways – can inspire others and help normalise it.

Whether it’s through internal newsletters, wellbeing forums or informal chat groups, celebrating progress together builds momentum.

It also helps to align your efforts with broader campaigns. National Walking Month in May, for example, is an ideal time to launch an initiative. Mental Health Awareness Week, which often focuses on movement, is another opportunity to highlight the link between walking and mental resilience.

Some employers also run dedicated wellbeing campaigns that include walking as a core pillar. A ‘Move More Month’ or ‘Walk and Talk Wednesdays’ initiative can provide structure and a sense of novelty, helping teams stay engaged and energised.

By embedding these initiatives into your wellbeing strategy – and making space for inclusive participation – you help create a workplace where everyone feels supported to take care of their health.

Supporting employee wellbeing through benefits

Encouraging more movement at work is one piece of the wider wellbeing puzzle.

Employers who truly want to support long-term health outcomes should consider how their benefits offering can help sustain healthy habits.

For example, flexible working policies that give employees greater control over their schedules can make it easier to fit in movement during the day.

Wellbeing apps that track steps or offer personalised activity challenges can complement walking initiatives. Discounts on fitness trackers, comfortable footwear or wellness products can also be a valuable addition to your benefits scheme.

We work with organisations of all sizes to develop wellbeing strategies that suit their culture, goals and workforce needs.

Take the next step

Movement and walking are small actions with big benefits.

With the right support, structure and culture, it can become a habit that transforms how your employees feel and perform – at work and beyond.

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