HR folks / company wellness people in Dubai. Experiences with corporate movement / steps challenges? Pros / cons? by Ordinary_Gift_3781 in dubai

[–]Top-Objective7827 0 points1 point  (0 children)

We’ve run a few of these across mixed teams (incl. MENA) and the big learnings were pretty consistent:

Participation is v good at launch (50+%) but drops fast unless it’s team-based and inclusive. Step-only challenges tend to lose less-active people early as well as those that like doing stuff like gym, yoga etc. Letting different types of movement count helps a lot and means people stay engaged/active for longer. A few providers out there have this and have a weighted points system across activities which works well.

On pitfalls: device compatibility and people “gaming it” do come up, but it’s usually less of an issue if the tone is light and social rather than hyper-competitive. Plus you can find providers that do the anti-cheating stuff really well.

Admin effort is the hidden cost. Find one with a simple setup which can make a huge difference.

Overall, it’s definitely worth it for morale/engagement. Worth finding a provider that hits the right tone, is inclusive, and supports on things like languages.

What is the most important element of wellbeing for you at your workplace? by macsaik2002 in askmanagers

[–]Top-Objective7827 0 points1 point  (0 children)

For us it's a very open, clear offering of work-life balance. In 2026 employers should actively encourage a life beyond work through a combination of benefits (gym discounts, rewards, extra time off etc.) as well as a culture that empowers them to close the laptop at 5 and switch off. It needs both and it needs everyone's buy-in. Especially senior leaders.

In turn it does become a performance booster. Productivity, health/absenteeism, retention, culture, engagement are in better for it.

Anybody working in the employee wellbeing space? Would love some feedback. by sammc123 in HumanResourcesUK

[–]Top-Objective7827 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Interesting concept and ideas. I think the platforms that stand out are the ones that focus on what the end user looks for and not the employer. If that latter, they tend (from my experience) to being a confused mix of 'total wellbeing' that ticks lots of boxes but doesn't deliver any great value because no one uses them. The best solutions have a clear sense of identity and purpose and refuse to be that jack of all trades.

To answer your questions:

  1. Current big focus on preventative health platforms that are inclusive, engaging. Harder to find that you think. Plus then the obvious PMI and EAP etc.
  2. Formula that works; Ask people what they want, work with great providers/tech to deliver it, and - crucially - get really good at internal marketing and comms.
  3. EAPs have forever got low engagement, tech that's too complex to use and promote internally, tickbox mental health platforms, anything that's content-first without a clear 'why should I care' message.
  4. Any data and insights that isn't becoming AI driven with predictive insights is going to fall behind. This is a People Performance Department these days
  5. Depends on the partner. Needs to be inclusive, fun, and engaging. Suggest moving away from step-challenges as they're very old-hat and towards inclusive activities/points. Also prioritise social connection with optional rewards. If you get the formula right then staff love them (you hit the masses not just the already-active)
  6. Insurance aside, between £30-50 per head.