Workplace wellbeing initiatives have evolved significantly in recent years, moving from basic fitness programmes toward more comprehensive approaches. Yet many organisations still struggle to engage their entire workforce, with most wellbeing programmes reaching only the already-active minority.

Today, leading organisations like Kaido are pioneering the next evolution in employee wellbeing – embracing truly inclusive, holistic challenges that equally address mental health, nutrition, sleep, and physical activity – and seeing remarkably higher engagement rates as a result.

The Engagement Challenge of Traditional Step programmes

Traditional wellness initiatives – like step challenges – tend to attract a narrow slice of the workforce, often those already fitness-minded. In fact, typical wellness programme participation rates hover around 40% of employees, and many programmes only engage people already motivated to tend to their health.

Those less motivated often opt out of one-size-fits-all activities like step contests. For example, it's estimated that a standard gym subsidy meaningfully benefits only about 10–15% of employees – mostly those who would have gotten a gym membership anyway.

In short, physical-only challenges often preach to the choir, while many employees remain disengaged.

Four Dimensions of Kaido's Holistic Approach

1. Physical Activity: Beyond Step Counting

Kaido's approach encourages diverse physical activity through multiple movement options that can be done anywhere – whether at home or in the office – making it accessible to everyone regardless of fitness level or ability.

2. Mental Health: The Engagement Foundation

Mental health is inseparable from workplace wellbeing. In the UK, an estimated 18 million working days are lost each year to mental health conditions. According to the CIPD, 79% of employees suffering from poor mental health say it negatively affects their performance at work.

This is why Kaido's wellbeing challenges incorporate mindfulness, stress management, and other mental wellbeing activities.

3. Nutrition: Fuelling Daily Performance

Kaido integrates nutritional wellbeing through hydration challenges, healthy eating initiatives, and simple food swaps that build sustainable habits and contribute to sustained energy throughout the workday.

4. Sleep: The Recovery Foundation

Kaido recognises that quality sleep affects everything from mood to decision-making, incorporating sleep hygiene education and evening routine optimisation within its comprehensive approach.

Why Kaido's Team-Based Approach Drives Superior Engagement

Connecting Teams in Hybrid Environments

Kaido's challenges create meaningful connections between colleagues who may rarely interact in person – a crucial benefit in today's hybrid workplace. By offering varied activities across multiple wellbeing dimensions, Kaido creates numerous entry points for employees with different interests and needs.

The collaborative, team-based nature of Kaido Challenges fosters a sense of connection and camaraderie. Employees in team-based wellness programmes report higher engagement and productivity due to the shared sense of achievement and teamwork involved.

Rewarding Improvement, Not Just Performance

A key differentiator in Kaido's approach is the focus on improvement rather than absolute performance:

• Participants establish personal baselines during the first week

• Success is measured by relative improvement, not raw numbers

• Everyone has an equal opportunity to contribute, regardless of starting point

• This approach levels the playing field between fitness enthusiasts and beginners

This improvement-focused model creates a psychologically safe environment where employees at all fitness levels feel comfortable participating, driving significantly higher engagement rates.

Inclusive Design Drives Company-Wide Participation

Kaido's challenges are specifically designed to reach employees who might never join a traditional step competition. By addressing multiple wellbeing dimensions through an inclusive, team-based approach, Kaido engages a much broader segment of the workforce.

It's telling that HR leaders implementing similar holistic approaches report improved morale and engagement – a testament to the power of going beyond just physical fitness.

The Business Case for Holistic Wellbeing Challenges

Research consistently shows that organisations implementing holistic wellbeing initiatives see valuable business outcomes:

• Enhanced engagement: In the UK, 70% of HR leaders view employee wellbeing as an opportunity to boost engagement – exactly what holistic challenges are designed to deliver.
  
  
  

• Team connection: The collaborative nature of team-based wellbeing activities fosters stronger connections between colleagues. This is particularly valuable in today's hybrid workplace, where meaningful interactions may be limited.
  
  
  

• Inclusive participation: By offering multiple wellbeing dimensions, holistic challenges engage a broader segment of your workforce than traditional step-only programmes, which typically attract just the already-active minority.
  
  
  

• Cultural impact: When organisations demonstrate they care about employee wellbeing comprehensively – not just physical fitness – it sends a powerful message about company values that resonates with today's workforce.

Implementing Kaido's Holistic Wellbeing Challenges

Kaido's approach incorporates best practices from successful holistic wellbeing programmes:

1. Multi-Dimensional Team Experiences

Kaido Challenges cover physical activity, mental health, nutrition and sleep components so every team member can contribute meaningfully, regardless of their fitness level or interests.

2. Connection-Focused Design 

Kaido's team-based structure leverages peer encouragement to drive participation. By creating shared wellbeing experiences between colleagues, the challenges naturally foster accountability, motivation, and social connection – elements that are often missing from individual wellness programmes.

3. Improvement Over Performance

Kaido's unique approach of measuring relative improvement rather than absolute achievement creates a level playing field for all participants, dramatically increasing inclusivity and engagement.

4. Comprehensive Engagement Framework

Kaido provides a strategic communications approach and leadership engagement tools – crucial elements as programmes with strong management backing achieve up to 10:1 ROI.

5. Sustained Engagement

Kaido's challenges are designed to maintain enthusiasm throughout challenges with gamification, team-based elements, and varied activities rather than one-dimensional competitions.

Transform Your Organisation's Wellbeing Approach with Kaido

The shift toward holistic wellbeing is clear: organisations moving beyond traditional step challenges to more inclusive initiatives typically see broader participation across their workforce. Kaido's approach creates meaningful connections between colleagues while making wellbeing accessible to everyone.

Kaido's 2-4 week challenges complement this philosophy, addressing multiple dimensions of wellbeing while connecting team members regardless of location. Many organisations find that implementing these challenges 2-3 times yearly creates wellbeing touchpoints that maintain momentum without causing programme fatigue.

Ready to explore how a more comprehensive approach could enhance engagement in your organisation? Contact the Kaido team today.