Work forcing walks

I don't think they can insist on that!

I would hate that.

What a dumb idea. I hate forced ‘teamwork’ and ‘fun.’

Have you a union?

If it’s on your lunch break then surely you’re not being paid for it and you can do whatever you like. I’m afraid I wouldn’t do it just because of being forced to do something in my own time. I’d probably still go for my daily walk, just not tell them!

I'd enter exactly 1,000 steps every single day, but I am the queen of PA at work, so you probably shouldn't listen to me.

(I wouldn't do them though, because I hate being told what to do in my private life by work.)

YANBU they should fuck off.

Is that a typo? 1000 steps is nothing, it must be a 5-10 minute walk at most.

Even if it's 10000 steps, I think it's a good thing. Lots of people are suffering from mental health issues and lack of activity due to barely leaving the house and a decent walk each lunchtime will do a great deal to help with both. Plus by being a work thing it legitimises being unavailable for a good hour or two in the middle of the day.

1000 steps? That’s literally 10 minutes. I couldn’t get that worked up about that...

It sounds awful and unfair. How are you meant to record the steps? Can you just make up a number (not that you should have to!).

Meh, if you don't want to do it, just don't do it.

1000 steps isn't very much though, and it's not the worst idea in the world to encourage people to get away from their desks for 5-10 minutes.

This is ridiculous - also obviously a massive problem for any members of your team with disabilities that affect mobility.

If you don't want to go for a walk, don't, they're not actually 'forcing' you to, you just won't win the extra time off. I'd happily give up 10 mins of my lunch break once a day if it meant I could possibly get an extra half a days leave. The weather is lovely at the moment, and it's good to take a break from your screens. This wouldn't bother me in the slightest, I'd take it in the good spirit it's intended, but I do try and get out for some fresh air once a day anyway.

I wouldn't want to spend my lunch hour in that way. It's for eating lunch. Lunch is my main meal of the day.

Are those lunch breaks paid?

If not, they have precisely no right to insist you do anything at that time. Suggest if they want you walk as a work-place task, it's in working hours.

You equally could ask for the risk assessments for the work -task. Or point out that everyone is under a stay-at-home order unless they have to leave. This isn't an essential task.

Alternatively, if you are going out, use that, or just make something up each day. They're hardly going to ship you step-counters to make you 'prove it'.

I would do it to get half a day off!!! Love that idea, a real incentive to get fit. You dont have to do it.

It’s your lunch hour - they can’t tell you what to do during that. One of the benefits of wfh might be squeezing in an hour long episode of something on Netflix while eating your sandwich prepared that morning in readiness ...

If they insist this is somehow a work related activity that must be done it should be done during work time.

See if waving your phone backwards and forwards counts it as steps...

Just shake your phone while sitting with your feet up .

Stick your phone on top of the washing machine as it does a spin? That should get you some steps...