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.

@GettingAwayWithIt

I can’t believe the amount of outraged posters!

It’s a non-compulsory challenge to try to encourage staff who may be feeling isolated from their colleagues to get a tiny bit of activity into their day. You don’t HAVE to do it. Those who do are in with a chance of a half day bonus holiday. If you don’t take part you don’t lose anything, you just don’t gain anything.

Honestly some of the responses on here make me glad I don’t manage staff any more

Again, you're totally missing the point.

This is a "team" exercise. So what happens if someone on your team is disabled, or has any number of other reasons why they can't participate? Everyone in that "team" then misses out, causing resentment.

And secondly, work have absolutely no right to "encourage" anything outside of work hours. Especially not something that's highly discriminatory.

I was straightening my hair the other day and noticed my fitbit was moving!! A 1000 doesn't take long but it's your lunch and you should do what you want.

I am happy to send you shots of my fitbit after my dog walk...
You could easily win...

[quote actanonverba22]@GettingAwayWithIt agreed!

@sunflowersandbuttercups nope...point received and fully understood. You missed the point about being an equitable challenge. This thread is fine example of being outraged for the sake of it[/quote]
Well, I disagree.

I think it's perfectly okay to be outraged that workplaces are encouraging highly discriminatory activities while passing them off as nice "team building" exercises.

Also sorry but what on Earth is wrong with a bit of competition?! Everyone getting a medal doesn’t exactly teach resilience

Competition is only ok if everyone can compete fairly, and I would imagine disabled people have had to show plenty of resilience just to get the bloody job in the first place.

I entered into a walking challenge recently, and really enjoyed it but the key was that I chose to do it. If someone told me I had to do it, I would not be happy. Especially if that someone was my employer.

This thread is fine example of being outraged for the sake of it

No it's not . How about a policy where able bodied people can enter a draw for extra holiday which excludes disabled people. How is that not outrageous?

@GettingAwayWithIt

I can’t believe the amount of outraged posters!

It’s a non-compulsory challenge to try to encourage staff who may be feeling isolated from their colleagues to get a tiny bit of activity into their day. You don’t HAVE to do it. Those who do are in with a chance of a half day bonus holiday. If you don’t take part you don’t lose anything, you just don’t gain anything.

Honestly some of the responses on here make me glad I don’t manage staff any more

Given your inability to read the OP it's probably wise that you don't manage staff anymore.

It's so non compulsory people who don't want to take part have been put in a team...

How much more isolated do you think the staff members who are viewed as letting their team down because they don't win the half day because of Mary's disability or Peter's caring duties or Sarah juggling nursery pick ups will be?

@sunflowersandbuttercups. That’s the difference between a career and a job, investment in your own time. Going to sound like I’m repeating myself here but the employer should make the task equitable and perhaps they have but we don’t know all the details

Barbarasaville. How can people do 10000 steps in the day if sitting at a desk all day. That's a lot. I aim for 8000 a day in the week and that's with a walk and some dancing on spot after I log off. I am not fit. I do about 12000 the weekends.

You missed the point about being an equitable challenge.

How is it an equitable challenge?

How can those with caring responsibilities at home participate?
How can those with disabilities participate?
How can those with napping babies participate?
Spd or other pregnancy issues?
Unsafe or polluted neighbourhoods?
Homes in places with few footpaths?

The division into teams makes it a manipulative exercise, just barely on the right side of the forced/ voluntary divide, but imo slipping into 'divide and conquer' territory.

It’s poor if it is for wellbeing reasons. I have a disability and my team already think I’m a burden!

1000 steps you could probably do each time you boiled a kettle and waited for teabag etc.
A chain of bakers near to where I live has shut all of their shops on good Friday, even though they do a lot of trade that day, so that all staff gets an extra day of paid leave. That’s a company that cares about wellbeing!

[quote actanonverba22]@GettingAwayWithIt agreed!

@sunflowersandbuttercups nope...point received and fully understood. You missed the point about being an equitable challenge. This thread is fine example of being outraged for the sake of it[/quote]
Did you miss the bit about people being put into teams against their will?

There's nothing wrong with being outraged at an employer insisting on participation in a discriminatory team bonding event.

Another poster not shocked at the ablist attitude of some on here. 1000 steps to me and lot of other mobility limited / disabled people is more than we achieve in a day / week sometimes.

My current workplace do a lot of walking challenges and every single one is voluntary with no "prizes". I am not the only disabled staff member and they know that, so none of these things are compulsory or HR would know about it!

I have felt more and more invisible to others and this thread has confirmed it.

[quote actanonverba22]@sunflowersandbuttercups. That’s the difference between a career and a job, investment in your own time. Going to sound like I’m repeating myself here but the employer should make the task equitable and perhaps they have but we don’t know all the details [/quote]
How do you make a walking task equitable? Especially one at a set time of the day.

And we know they haven't because the OP states people have been put into teams against their will.

[quote actanonverba22]@sunflowersandbuttercups. That’s the difference between a career and a job, investment in your own time. Going to sound like I’m repeating myself here but the employer should make the task equitable and perhaps they have but we don’t know all the details [/quote]
No, OP has said that they haven't.

Disabled team members are put in teams with no alternate activity in place. How is that in any way fair or equitable?

It doesn't matter if it's 10 steps or 10,000 it cannot be enforced on a unpaid lunch break.

OP reply all saying it clashes with your daily 1pm shag so you'll have to pass.

@Pericombobulations

Another poster not shocked at the ablist attitude of some on here. 1000 steps to me and lot of other mobility limited / disabled people is more than we achieve in a day / week sometimes.

My current workplace do a lot of walking challenges and every single one is voluntary with no "prizes". I am not the only disabled staff member and they know that, so none of these things are compulsory or HR would know about it!

I have felt more and more invisible to others and this thread has confirmed it.

I'm sorry some posters have made you feel that way

Some people are incredibly ignorant when it comes to disability.

@JustLyra “Did you miss the bit about people being put into teams against their will?”

My goodness....being put in teams against your will at work. What will it come to?

[quote actanonverba22]@JustLyra “Did you miss the bit about people being put into teams against their will?”

My goodness....being put in teams against your will at work. What will it come to?[/quote]
Bullying and isolation most likely...

[quote actanonverba22]@JustLyra “Did you miss the bit about people being put into teams against their will?”

My goodness....being put in teams against your will at work. What will it come to?[/quote]
It's not "at work" though

It's an activity they're expected to complete, unpaid, in their free time, but with work-related consequences.

I don't know how people can argue that this is fair, equitable or acceptable.

@BarbaraofSeville

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.

Would you think the same if you were forced to do this at work? Just because youre at home doesn’t mean work can decide what you choose to do in your lunch time.

OP, I’d email them back and tell them you need to spend your lunch hour on the loo as you’re suffering from bad constipation 🤣 so wont be joining in their forced activity.

Can’t see a post where the OP has confirmed if they’ve sought clarification on the alternatives available. But then masking questions will probably provoke more outrage....If the employer has genuinely given no consideration to equitable participation then that’s idiotic and discriminatory. Conclusions jumped to, outrage provoked, pitchforks ready....

If you struggle to be assigned to a group at work then hopefully you’ve got a job that relies solely on yourself

@actanonverba22

If you struggle to be assigned to a group at work then hopefully you’ve got a job that relies solely on yourself

This isn't at work. This is free time.