With 58% of workers now having remote or hybrid options, fitness challenges must work for distributed teams. The good news? Virtual step challenges often see higher engagement than office-only programs—remote workers have more flexibility to walk during the day.
This guide covers everything you need to run successful hybrid and remote fitness challenges: the right tools, fair rules for global teams, and strategies to build connection across distances.
Why Virtual Challenges Work Better
Works Anywhere
Same experience for office, home, or traveling employees
Unifies Teams
Builds connection across time zones and locations
Easy Tracking
Everyone uses their phone or wearable—no special equipment
Higher Engagement
Remote workers often see 20% higher participation than office-only
5 Strategies for Hybrid Challenge Success
Use a Universal Tracking App
Choose an app like WeMove that syncs with Apple Health, Google Fit, and all major wearables. Everyone tracks the same way regardless of device or location.
Avoid company-issued devices—let people use what they already own.
Create Time-Zone Fair Rules
Use 24-hour rolling windows instead of fixed deadlines. A 'daily goal' should reset at midnight local time, not headquarters time.
Weekly totals work better than daily goals for global teams.
Build Virtual Team Rituals
Start a Slack channel for challenge updates. Share weekly video recaps. Host virtual walking meetings where everyone joins from their neighborhood.
Async communication works better than live calls across time zones.
Mix Team and Individual Goals
Combine individual step goals with team averages. This prevents one superstar from carrying the team while still building camaraderie.
Balanced teams across locations prevent 'us vs them' dynamics.
Celebrate Visually
Use virtual maps, progress bars, and milestone celebrations everyone can see. Remote workers miss the 'water cooler' buzz—bring it online.
WeMove's virtual journeys (walk across Japan) are perfect for this.
Sample Hybrid Challenge Structure
4-Week "Walk Around the World" Challenge
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you run a virtual company fitness challenge for remote employees?
Use a step challenge app that syncs with any device (phones, Fitbit, Garmin, Apple Watch). Create teams mixing office and remote workers. Set weekly goals rather than daily to account for different schedules. Use Slack or Teams for updates and encouragement. Celebrate milestones with virtual recognition.
Are virtual step challenges fair for remote workers?
Often more fair! Remote workers control their schedule and can walk during 'commute' time. The key is using rolling time windows (midnight local time) rather than fixed company-wide deadlines. Studies show remote participants often log 15-20% more steps.
How do you keep remote employees engaged in a fitness challenge?
Create dedicated Slack channels, share daily leaderboard updates, use video for kickoff and celebration events, pair remote workers with office buddies, and offer multiple ways to earn points (steps, active minutes, participation).
What tools work best for hybrid team step challenges?
Apps that sync automatically via Apple Health or Google Health Connect work best—WeMove, Stridekick, or MoveSpring. Avoid manual entry which creates friction. Integrate with Slack or Teams for real-time updates.
How do you build team spirit with distributed workers?
Create mixed teams (not office vs remote), use virtual journey themes (walk to Paris together), share photos of walking locations, host virtual coffee walks, and celebrate individual stories not just top performers.