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As temperatures drop and daylight hours shorten, it’s common to experience a dip in energy and mood. The “winter blues” can affect productivity, engagement, and overall wellbeing, especially in the workplace. November is the perfect month to launch a wellness challenge that combats seasonal fatigue and sets a positive tone for the colder months ahead. A November wellness challenge can give employees a boost, increase camaraderie, and foster a healthier, happier workplace.
At GoJoe, we specialise in creating engaging, accessible wellness challenges that boost team morale, regardless of fitness level or location. Here are some exciting ideas for a November wellness challenge that will inspire your team, promote good health, and beat those winter blues.
Wellness challenges are an effective way to bring teams together and promote healthier habits. November, in particular, is ideal for a wellness challenge as it marks the transition to winter—a time when people often feel less motivated to stay active. A well-planned November wellness challenge can boost energy, support mental health, and encourage social connections that keep employees engaged.
Studies show that physical activity, mental health practices, and social interaction play vital roles in countering seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and the general lethargy that can set in during winter. With GoJoe’s platform, your team can engage in fun, accessible wellness challenges that everyone can enjoy, no matter their fitness level or location.
Staying active during winter can be challenging, especially with colder weather. A daily step challenge is a simple but effective way to keep employees moving throughout November. Walking not only supports physical health but also helps improve mental clarity and reduce stress. And remember, logging steps isn’t about those you collect doing jobs around the house or moving in the office, it’s about getting out and active to really feel the benefit of exercise.
How It Works: Employees set daily step goals and track their progress using GoJoe. Teams can compete to reach collective step milestones, or individuals can challenge themselves to hit personal bests.
How GoJoe Can Help: GoJoe’s corporate wellbeing platform supports tracking for a variety of activities beyond just steps. The app’s weighted points system ensures fair competition and making it accessible for everyone, regardless of fitness level, ability or interest.
2. Mindfulness and Meditation Challenge
November is a month when stress levels can start to climb as people prepare for the holiday season. A mindfulness challenge can help employees take a breather and refocus. Practising mindfulness has been shown to reduce stress, improve focus, and enhance overall well-being.
How It Works: Each day, employees can dedicate 5-10 minutes to mindfulness practices such as deep breathing, meditation, or body scanning. GoJoe can provide daily reminders and motivational quotes to encourage consistency.
How GoJoe Can Help: With GoJoe, employees get access to a wide range of mindfulness resources to help them on their way. From a step programme of yoga to support sleep to guided meditation with our partners at House of Wellbeing, there’s something for everyone to guide them through their daily mindfulness. We also suggest implementing something like a Mindful Monday to help motivate employees weekly, as a group. By tracking participation, GoJoe makes it easy for teams to stay accountable and see their progress.
Group fitness classes are a great way to stay motivated and connected, especially as winter approaches. Hosting weekly virtual exercise classes can be a fun, inclusive way to keep employees active, regardless of their location.
How It Works: Employees can participate in live-streamed exercise classes or use GoJoe’s on-demand resources to join sessions when it suits them. Activities can range from yoga to high-intensity interval training (HIIT).
How GoJoe Can Help: GoJoe’s premium plan includes access to over 350 Les Mills on-demand workouts, covering various activities for all fitness levels. This allows employees to join classes that suit their preferences, including 30% of resources aimed at entry level, ensuring everyone can participate and stay active.
Setting aside time each week to focus on wellness can help employees reset and recharge. Wellness Wednesday activities can include anything from a short yoga session to a team-building exercise, giving employees a mid-week boost to carry them through to the weekend.
How It Works: Each Wednesday, a different wellness activity is hosted, such as a guided meditation, virtual workout, or team-based challenge. Employees can join virtually or in person, depending on their location.
How GoJoe Can Help: GoJoe’s platform allows for seamless organisation of recurring events. With in-app reminders and scheduling features, employees won’t miss out on their weekly wellness activities, making it easy to participate and stay engaged.
End November with a bang by hosting a team-based “step-up” challenge. Each team works together to achieve a high step count, supporting both physical health and social bonding.
How It Works: Teams set collective step goals for the final week of November. At the end of the week, teams can see who reached their target and celebrate together.
How GoJoe Can Help: GoJoe’s challenges make it easy to track team activities and steps, offering real-time updates and team chat functions to keep everyone motivated and on track. You can assign a prize to the winning team!
Employee health and performance are linked, and we must include mental health in that statement to effectively support employees. A designated mental health check-in day allows employees to pause and reflect on their emotional well-being. Offering resources for self-assessment, mindfulness, and stress management can help employees feel supported and understood.
How It Works: Encourage employees to take a few moments for a mental health check-in. GoJoe can provide prompts or tools for employees to self-assess their stress and mood, and resources to help them take action if needed.
How GoJoe Can Help: GoJoe’s mental wellness resources include inspirational quotes, guided meditations, stress-relief techniques, and mood-tracking features that help employees stay connected to their mental health throughout the challenge.
Turn your November wellness challenge into an opportunity to give back by organising a charity challenge. Employees can participate in various wellness activities to raise funds for a chosen cause, fostering a sense of community and purpose.
How It Works: For each wellness milestone achieved—such as steps walked or minutes meditated—employees raise money for charity. GoJoe’s tracking features make it easy to monitor progress and calculate donations based on challenge achievements.
How GoJoe Can Help: GoJoe’s challenges give fundraising initiatives a digital home, allowing those taking part to come together as a community, track collective efforts and link out to donation platforms. GoJoe’s Journeys feature on the platform can be customised to support charity challenges, including tracking milestones and showing progress toward donation goals. GoJoe has helped clients like Sunderland FC, AlixPartners, and Mind, drive corporate fundraising in a fun new way. This creates a meaningful experience that unites employees for a good cause.
Winter can be a challenging time, with reduced daylight and colder temperatures affecting mood and motivation. Implementing a November wellness challenge supports employees' physical and mental health, while creating a fun, engaging way to stay connected. By offering varied challenges that cater to different interests and fitness levels, you’ll make it easier for everyone to participate, ensuring higher engagement and lasting benefits.
GoJoe’s employee wellness app makes it easy to implement and track wellness challenges, fostering a culture of health and inclusivity. Whether your team is in the office, remote, or hybrid, GoJoe’s virtual challenges bridge the gap, providing engaging wellness activities everyone can enjoy. With access to mindfulness resources, team challenges, and expert-led fitness classes, GoJoe gives employees everything they need to stay healthy, connected, and motivated throughout November.
If you’re an insurer, people leader, or small business owner, consider how our annual platform may have the most benefits for you and your employees.
Ready to help your team beat the winter blues? Embrace a culture of wellness this November and make a lasting impact with GoJoe.
