Northwell’s Walk to the Parks step challenge is improving employee wellness

Focusing on team member well-being at Northwell Health is a walk in the park – a virtual one that is. 2,774 teams made up of 15,691 team members are virtually walking our National Parks as they compete in this year’s employee step challenge for the chance to win $5,000!
During our Walk to the Parks innovative employee step challenge, teams of six have six weeks to walk two million steps, the distance between all national parks. Tracking their physical activity, each day brings them one step closer to their goal and unlocks virtual destinations throughout their wellness journey. Any team that successfully goes the distance will be entered into the grand prize raffle – a $5,000 prize for each team member.
In these unprecedented challenging times, it’s more important than ever for our team members to find the time to focus on their own well-being.  From walks outdoors during lunch to safely gathering in parks on days off, our teams are finding fun ways to get their steps in while gaining more energy, developing healthy habits and improving mental health. Additionally, for many of our currently remote employees, it provides a unique chance to connect with their teammates despite the temporary distance.
“Walk to the Parks is more than getting in your steps, it’s about team building, challenging yourself and taking time for your own well-being,” says Niha Malcomson, manager, Employee Wellness. “Now more than ever, it is something that is needed by all.”
And this isn’t Northwell’s first step challenge! Each year Northwell provides a fun opportunity to increase physical activity while allowing team members to focus on their own well-being in unique competitions. Last year’s Walk to Rome challenge included 2,018 teams who walked a total of 9,116,790,338 steps. That’s 4,558,395 miles – or enough steps to travel 183 times around the Earth!
With so many team members competing in this year’s challenge, Northwell Health is ready for a journey both to the parks and to better well-being.
Are you up for the challenge? Get moving and apply to Northwell Health today!!