Work forcing walks

[CaramelCandle]

My whole team is wfh. The manager has decided that everyone needs to walk 1000 steps a day on their lunch hour for the next month. We've been put into teams and have to record the steps and the team with the most will win a half day off. There were a few people not keen to take part but everyone has been put into a team anyway. AIBU to think this is stupid? I understand the idea is to get people away from their desk etc but it's the way it's been done so that you're letting your team down if you don't take part that I think is unfair. Surely it would be better to give people a choice without the guilt.

[Volcanoexplorer]

OP I agree. I hate stuff like like and you are sort of being forced to do it as otherwise like you said you’re seen as ‘letting the side down’.

[CaramelCandle]

Lunches are unpaid. People with kids have been told to take the kids with them and we've been told to go in all weathers. I think it's fine for those who want to do it and understand it could be fun for some but those who don't want to are being made to feel bad about it which kind of goes against the whole promoting mental health thing. I've got kids I'm homeschooling and have health issues as well as other responsibilities. I'm more than happy not going out at all some days. It feels like another plate to spin really and not one I want to take on.

[Mummyoflittledragon]

This cannot be legal or enforcible. Ignorance and stupidity combined.

[squirrelspatchcock]

We have recently had a company wide steps challenge. I found it really motivating in getting out and walking when otherwise I might find excuses to not go on yet another bloody walk. However, it was something we opted into and joined via an app. No pressure at all to participate.

The way your company has set this up is not fair on those that don't want to participate, and also not fair on those that do!

[Imaginetoday]

@EnglishGirlApproximately

I worked somewhere where a colleague took it upon herself to do a wall chart of everyone's food to make sure we were eating five a day She'd fit in well at your workplace

😱😱🤦‍♀️

[LeopardFever]

Draconian!

[MisgenderedSwan]

Our company did a voluntary February fitness program designed by a physio for be accessible to everyone with plenty of mods suggested for the exercises. It can also be done in 10 mins without leaving the house. I wouldn't be able to do the one your company are suggesting as like a pp lunch hour is key school work time. I also have to feed the kid and get them sorted for the afternoon. It cannot be enforceable. Maybe a word with HR to check?

[Lookatthemshine]

I wfh and use my lunch break to cst h up on some laundry and have lunch with my two kids who are working their normal school day from home - scheduled online classes. I would not allow my employer to tell me how to use my own time.

[ChippyChickenChips]

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

That's what I thought. I'm mid sixties and unfit but would take between 5 and 10 mins for that.

[rainyskylight]

I think it’s a great idea. 1000 steps is nothing. It’s good to get outside for fresh air. It’s sunny at the moment. It’s literally just a walk around the block. Done in 10minutes, nice refresh before back at desk. At my work we encourage this sort of activity. It’s good for health and good for productivity.

[GettingAwayWithIt]

I honestly couldn’t get worked up about being encouraged to cover 1000 steps in my lunchbreak. Are people really so lazy that they won’t walk for 10 minutes? After presumably sitting all morning and prior to sitting all afternoon? Not leaving the house for anything? How very dare your workplace try and encourage a small amount of gentle exercise and fresh air. Contact the union!

[HeadSpin5]

There are some very negative comments here! Surely it’s no secret that as a nation we are pretty unfit and unhealthy - incentivising staff to walk 5-10 minutes a day isn’t sending them down the mines. Yes, if you have a disability that prevents you walking then that’s obviously different. And if you have absolutely no way of counting steps then fine too (though vast majority will, even if it means you remember to take your phone with you). I really couldn’t get worked up about this tbh. My company I doing similar and it’s really helped me ensure I carve out much needed ‘exercise’ time.

[Lemonsyellow]

I think that is appalling. It’s unenforceable and discriminatory, and would cause a lot of stress for some. I would absolutely refuse.

[DieSchottin93]

My Fitbit counts my steps if I swing my arm that I wear it on as if I'm walking. I just tried doing the same whilst holding my phone in my hand and that also records it as steps

[BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz]

So daft. I do a fair bit of walking round my house during the day, school run etc that I dont even move when it's my lunch break. I'd just screenshot your phone each day when it hits the 1000 mark (carry it with you) then send them after lunch. You will hit 1000 easy just wandering round in the morning/ cooking etc so just screenshot when it suits, stockpile a stack of screenshots then submit one a day.

[Ch3rish]

@catmum2019

Op this is a easy one.... agree you will take part and be a team player, then at lunch pop your iPhone into the inside of your sock and tap your foot while u sit on the couch with a nice lunch and watch Netflix....

Your welcome 😃

So she has to go and buy an iphone and subscribe to netflix

Strange to assume everyone has both those things

[MedusasBadHairDay]

@CaramelCandle

Yes there are some people with disabilities who will struggle but this was ignored

Grim but utterly unsurprising

[Tartyflette]

I think your best bet would be to say your lunch breaks are completely taken up with XYZ chores/activities/eating/whatever and so you need to be excluded from the team forthwith so as not to disadvantage it.
Then Ignore anything further, your lunch break is your own time, to be spent however you want.

[TatianaBis]

It's totally unenforceable but it's a good idea.

[DayBath]

@HeadSpin5 It's not about the steps really, it's about setting a precedent that workplaces can dictate how you spend you UNPAID lunch hour. At what point does this turn into "voluntary" training sessions for work, checking emails and taking calls? No workplace has the right to pressure people into doing work related initiatives (no matter what they are) during their uncontracted free time. It's also particularly sinister to call it voluntary but then put so much pressure on people and name and shame those who arent taking part.

So even if you think its a great idea and completely ignore the disability discrimination aspect (which is really sketchy in itself), there's still no way this is even remotely acceptable.

[Lemonsyellow]

What if you don’t have a smartphone? Are work going to provide you with some sort of counter device? There are a lot of issues with staff being forced to use their own personal stuff for work purposes. Eg, at the company I work for, they wanted staff to download password management software onto their phones. They had to back down and make it optional in the end.

[TheyIsMyFamily]

"Happy to walk 1000 steps during my work day, but my lunch hour is mine and I won't be dictated to as how I'll spend it. Unless you're paying me now for my lunch break, and then I''ll think about it."

Roughly

[careerchangeneeded]

This is ridiculous, I’m annoyed for you OP! I’d guess that you’re not the only one who doesn’t want to be forced to do it though. Could you speak to some of your team members separately and see what they think and potentially draft an email to tell your manager to count you out as you won’t be doing it? No fuss, just straight to the facts ‘as this won’t be possible I and xx won’t be taking part’ etc?

Or can you speak to your managers’ manager? It’s ridiculous for them to suggest taking your kids with you regardless!

Worst case you don’t take part and the others on your team increase their steps if they really want to win!

[diddl]

Seems like a good idea, but unworkable I would think.

I love walking, but don't see why I should do it at someone else's sayso!

[TheyIsMyFamily]

@rainyskylight

I think it’s a great idea. 1000 steps is nothing. It’s good to get outside for fresh air. It’s sunny at the moment. It’s literally just a walk around the block. Done in 10minutes, nice refresh before back at desk. At my work we encourage this sort of activity. It’s good for health and good for productivity.

Sure, for you!

But no one can dictate how their employees spend their UNPAID lunch break. FFS.