Do leaders walk the extra mile? The contribution of personal and work-related factors on daily step count increase in a university team step challenge

Background Sedentary work environments contribute to low physical activity (PA) levels, which are associated with adverse health and productivity outcomes. Workplace interventions such as step challenges offer a promising strategy to promote PA. Aim This study investigates the effects of a six-week, team-based step contest conducted at a German university and examines personal and work-related factors including the role of leaders influencing PA. Methods A one-group pre-post design was used to assess daily step counts of 331 participants across 44 self-formed teams during baseline, intervention and follow-up periods. Step data were collected via a mobile app, and a survey captured various demographic, work-related and intervention-related factors. Results The step challenge significantly increased daily step counts by 1,700 on average compared to baseline. However, this increase was not sustained during follow-up. Males and older participants exhibited greater improvements. Notable, individuals in leadership positions showed a relatively greater increase in step counts during the intervention. However, the presence of a leader within a team did not significantly impact team colleagues’ performance. Other work-related factors such as work location and commute mode correlated with participants’ step counts but did not impact the step challenge’s effectiveness. Conclusion Our findings suggest that team-based workplace interventions can effectively boost short-term PA but sustaining these improvements remains challenging and requires ongoing actions. Further, it is essential to take personal and work-related factors including the role of leaders into account to develop targeted strategies that enhance PA. Tailored strategies and organizational support are needed to promote long-term engagement. These insights may inform future workplace health initiatives aiming for sustainable impact.