Virtual Fitness Challenges for Remote Teams: 10 Creative Ways to Get Moving Together

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Remote work has changed how we collaborate — and how we move. Today, employees spend an average of 9 hours a day sitting. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) and Health Canada, adults should aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity per week, roughly 30 minutes a day, to maintain both physical and mental wellbeing.

What if those 150 minutes became a fun and meaningful team challenge? Here are 10 creative virtual fitness challenge ideas to help your teams get active, strengthen connections, and make wellbeing a shared goal across your organization.

1. Climb Mount Everest — a collective challenge to reach new heights

Goal: Reach the equivalent of 8,848 meters — the height of Mount Everest — through walking, running, or climbing. That’s roughly 160,000 collective steps as a team. Every employee contributes their daily activity, and together, your team “ascends” to the summit. This challenge fosters perseverance, motivation, and teamwork.

See how Harnois Énergies used a company-wide wellness challenge to boost employee engagement.

Illustration d'une montagne représentant un défi d'équipe collectif pour inciter les employés à bouger.

2. Cross Canada — a coast-to-coast virtual journey

Work together to cover 7,500 kilometers by walking, running, or cycling — virtually traveling from Vancouver to St. John’s. Each employee adds their distance to the team total, and milestones can be celebrated along the way.This type of national route challenge builds unity and a strong sense of belonging.

See how Dessercom engaged over 500 employees around a shared wellness goal using Propulsion’s platform.

Carte du Canada illustrant un défi virtuel où les équipes parcourent collectivement la distance de Vancouver à St. John's par l'activité physique.

3. Around the World Challenge — 40,075 kilometers together

Set a collective goal of 40,075 km, the Earth’s circumference. Every step counts — walks, runs, bike rides, hikes. Your team can visualize progress on a world map, encouraging consistency and a shared sense of purpose. A powerful metaphor for global collaboration in today’s connected organizations.

4. Inter-Office Challenge — friendly competition across remote teams

Turn wellness into friendly competition between departments or offices. Compare average active minutes, steps, or distance per team. This challenge boosts regular activity, morale, and team spirit, keeping employees engaged even when working remotely.

This format works especially well for multi-site organizations like those featured in Propulsion’s case studies.

5. Regional Challenge — represent your city or province

Perfect for organizations with multiple locations. Each region or office tracks its collective steps or active minutes to represent their local community. A regional leaderboard or map can create friendly rivalry and local pride, motivating daily movement and teamwork.

6. Environmental Challenge — promote active and sustainable mobility

Combine wellbeing with sustainability. For every 10 kilometers covered by walking, running, or cycling, the company plants a tree or supports an eco-initiative. This challenge promotes active transportation while aligning wellness efforts with CSR goals.

Many organizations now integrate these challenges into their CSR programs to encourage greener, healthier habits.

Illustration d'employés marchant et faisant du vélo dans le cadre d'un défi environnemental promouvant la mobilité active au travail.

7. Charity Challenge: move for a cause

Turn movement into impact. For every 10,000 steps completed, the company donates $1 to a selected charity. A simple and powerful way to connect employee wellness with social purpose.

8. One Million Active Minutes Challenge

Set a collective goal of 1,000,000 minutes of activity across your organization : walking, yoga, cycling, strength training, everything counts. An inclusive challenge that rewards consistency over performance and motivates everyone, regardless of fitness level.

9. Mind & Movement Challenge: combine physical and mental wellbeing

Pair daily physical movement with mindfulness activities.Example daily goals:

20 minutes of physical activity
10 minutes of stretching or breathing
5 minutes of gratitude or reflection

This approach promotes balance, resilience, and mental health, as successfully implemented by the CRHA for its members and employees.

10. The 150-Minute Challenge: inspired by WHO recommendations

Encourage each employee to achieve 150 minutes of weekly activity, following WHO and Health Canada guidelines. Simple, measurable, and science-based, this challenge focuses on sustainable habits over performance, helping employees build lasting wellness routines.

Conclusion: Moving Together, Even Apart

These challenges strengthen health, engagement, and connection among remote or hybrid teams.They prove that integrating movement into the workday is not only possible, but highly beneficial. As the WHO reminds us: “Every move counts.” So why not make it a shared source of pride and motivation?