Virgin Pulse Global Challenge promotes healthier lifestyles

The annual workplace event encourages employees to lead healthier lifestyles. The event aims at helping individuals prevent illness and make them healthy, engaged and focused employees, so that they can help boost business productivity, as well as reduce absenteeism and workplace incidents.

Generally 75% of participants reach more than 10,000 steps per day, compared to 21% pre-event. Some 68% report a decrease in stress levels at home and work, 54% report an increase in productivity and concentration, and 60% of those who take part say the Global Challenge increases their energy levels.

In Hungary, the main partner of the event is the American Chamber of Commerce in Hungary, with other partaking organizations including Aegon and Philip Morris. In total, 72 organizations took part in the Global Challenge. The number of participants grew to 2,660 this year, up from 2,485 in 2018. Since 2015, a grand total of 12,684 Hungarians have taken part in the event.

According to the press release, the most improved and focused aspects of health are physical activity and nutrition. Some 92% of participants say they would recommend participating in the Global Challenge to their friends and family.

Dr. David Batman, an international occupational health advisor and member of the Virgin Pulse Science Advisory Board, says that participants who need a program like the Global Challenge the most, improve the most.

“The most sedentary participants at the beginning of the program report the biggest improvement in overall health after completing the Global Challenge,” he notes. The results of the Global Challenge show that 64% of members in the overweight and obese BMI categories lose weight, with an average loss of 4.1 kg.

“Through increased awareness, education and motivation, employees are mastering long-term, sustainable habits that allow them to arrive at work feeling more engaged, productive and equipped for peak performance,” Batman adds.