1. The 2025 Workplace Challenge is open to people in Palmerston North and the Manawatū, Horowhenua, and Tararua districts.
2. Each participant will keep track of their steps using a smart-watch/smart-phone pedometer. Only the steps recorded on the pedometer/watch/phone count. No calculations, estimate or imaginary steps are allowed.
3. Participants will record their steps on the web app before 6pm each Monday.
4. Participants are encouraged to record their steps each day before going to bed.
5. Teams will be comprised of four members (unless individual).
6. Participants will be responsible for entering their own steps and challenges each day.
7. Participants can click on their team members and see/edit their steps and challenges.
8. Participants are encouraged to join the private Facebook Group for the WPC. This group will be the home of the WPC, and all the information will be posted on the Facebook group.
9. All challenge boosters once completed will require a ‘selfie’ or photo as proof of the challenge! Please post this on the WPC’s private Facebook group and share your journey with the community!
10. Participants are encouraged to post all their photos and videos on the Facebook group whether it is a part of a challenge or not, we love to see the engagement.
11. The points will be tallied at the end of each week and the leaderboard will be updated weekly.
12. Respectful banter is expected and encouraged, this most important thing is to be active and have fun while doing it!
13. A panel will determine any and all winners.
14. In the event of a tie, the panel may introduce a tie-breaker challenge.

I'm in a wheelchair, how can I track "steps"?

Some smart watches have a setting that uses a tracker which provides a step equivalent. If you don't have the abiilty to do that, then you can use the calculation of 7km travelled = 10,000 steps.

My workplace is spread across multiple locations/I work from home

Not a problem! You can still enter a team and do the challenge boosters individually. 

We'd like to enter a team of four from different workplaces

That's great. When you sign up, simply select that you're registering a team and leave the organisation name blank. Complete the rest of the form by entering in the details of each team member.

What if I don't have a smart watch that counts steps?

Many smart phones have a built-in pedometer function so you could use that. If that is not available to you, you could purchase a pedometer from somewhere like the Warehouse or Rebel Sport.

I don't have a team, can I enter on my own?

Absolutely! Simply select Individual when registering and complete the form.

When do registrations close?

Sunday 4 May, 2025 so get in quick!

This year we are introducing a week all about wheels! We want to encourage any and every mode of wheeling, it could be going on a 30-minute bike ride or jumping on one of the kids skateboards!

Building on one of our weekly challenge boosters, “Active Travel”, we want you to ditch the car and roll into a greener, healthier lifestyle! Choosing to bike or scooter instead of driving helps cut carbon emissions, keeping our air cleaner and our planet healthier. Plus, it’s an easy way to stay active, boost your mood, and explore your city or town like never before—discovering hidden gems, scenic paths, and vibrant neighbourhoods along the way. Whether it’s your daily commute or a weekend adventure, swapping four wheels for two is a win for you and the environment!

Wheels Week will be during the third week of the Challenge, 19 – 25 May.

There will be an extra section on the web app during this week for you to add your wheeling accomplishments!

• You will get the opportunity to get an extra 5 points per day for using or trying out new wheels, you will be asked to describe what you did and add a photo for proof.

The goal of this is for you to find a new way of commuting and to try out the amazing paths we have around the city!

Here you find you guide to Palmy city pathways!! Check it out to find your new adventure.

• Complete your daily (10k steps) challenge = 10 points

• Complete 30 minutes of continuous moderate activity = 5 points

• Complete a weekly challenge booster = 5 points

• In Wheels Week: Complete a session of using wheels = 5 bonus points (per day)

The weekly challenge boosters are to be done throughout the course of the four weeks. There are no set dates you need to complete the challenge boosters on, but we would suggest trying to do two per week to spread out the fun over the course of the challenge! For each challenge booster you will only be awarded the 5 extra points once, but we encourage to keep doing the challenge boosters, as it creates good habits for a healthy fulfilling lifestyle!

We understand that the dynamic of each team will look different. We encourage for the weekly challenge boosters to be done as a team, but if this is not possible, please complete them individually and post a photo as proof, you (individually) will still get the points!

Office Stretch/Yoga session:

• Organise an office stretch or yoga session with your team in the office/ workplace.
  

Active Travel:

• Use active travel to go to work, or another destination that you would usually drive to.
• Active travel can be anything from walking, running, cycling, scootering, skateboarding, rollerblading, etc.).
• This challenge does not have to be done as a team, and you will collect these points individually.
• Live rurally? That’s okay, there is still plenty of opportunity to actively travel. Walk to get lunch, park your car further away from you place of work (1km), etc.

Office Snack/ Lunch:

• Share a healthy snack with your team.
• Can be a lunch or just a snack!
• Ideally, we would love this to be completed as a team, but we know it can be hard to get the whole team together so you will be awarded thew points when YOU bring in the healthy kai.

Office Play:

• Organise an “office tournament/game” with your workmates.
• Ideas could include obstacle courses, “deskercise”, office relay races, or anything you can come up with - playing is all about using your imagination!

Active Break/Walking Hui:

• Use your morning tea/lunch break to get in those extra steps or that heart rate up!
• Alternatively, why not utilise those meetings to get your legs moving and more oxygen to your working brain.

Give Back:

• Volunteer your time or contribute towards a good cause.
• Ideas include starting a food collection bin at work, volunteer for Meals on Wheels, help at a rest home, contribute with equipment using the Replay NZ bins and do a Street Cleanup.
• This could also include doing something nice for someone outside of your team who deserves it!

Try Something New:

• Try a new online workout or something new like pilates, yoga, or a HIIT.
• Learn new active skills, for example a ball skill.

Help the World Breathe:

• Did you know gardening is one of the most popular ways of being physically active?
• The challenge is to plant something with your team (or as an individual).
• It can range from herbs and shrubs, flowers, crops to trees!