Case Study: Great Place to Work Ireland x YuMuuv

Great Place to Work Ireland (GPTW Ireland) is part of the globally recognized Great Place to Work network, which operates in over 60 countries and serves as a leading authority on workplace culture. The organization helps businesses measure and improve employee trust and engagement through its Trust Index Survey and subsequent recognition programs, including the prestigious “Best Workplaces” listings across different categories.

GPTW Ireland has long understood the importance of fostering a positive and connected work environment. As part of their commitment to employee engagement and wellness, they introduced the YuMuuv step challenge to their wellness program — a decision that has significantly boosted employee participation, engagement, and overall well-being.

Challenge

In 2020, GPTW Ireland made a pivotal shift to fully remote work in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. While this decision provided employees with greater flexibility, it also reinforced the importance of maintaining team cohesion and encouraging physical activity.

"So, we made the decision to transition to remote work in 2020," said Marina Rivas, who spearheaded the YuMuuv initiative at GPTW Ireland. "From the start, we recognised an opportunity to find new ways to stay connected and keep moving, ensuring a dynamic and engaged work environment even while working remotely."

Recognizing that physical activity and social connection were critical to employee well-being and engagement, GPTW Ireland sought a solution that could tackle both challenges simultaneously. The goal was not only to promote movement but also to create opportunities for informal connection between colleagues outside of typical work interactions.

Solution

Marina Rivas took the initiative to explore potential solutions and discovered YuMuuv — a platform designed to facilitate competitive step challenges within organizations. The concept of combining movement with team-based competition resonated immediately.

“I was tracking my own steps and trying to find ideas to get myself moving because I was facing that challenge of remote working,” said Rivas. “I thought it would be more fun to track our steps together, and when I found YuMuuv, I realized that if we do it in a competitive way, it’s going to push people to have fun together and bond. So why not test it?”

The first YuMuuv challenge was launched over three years ago, and it quickly became a hit. GPTW Ireland now organizes two challenges each year — one in the spring and one in the autumn — to align with the longer daylight hours and better weather in Ireland.

Implementation

The YuMuuv challenges are fully integrated into GPTW Ireland’s wellness and engagement strategy. Employees are grouped into teams with creative names, and each team sets up a WhatsApp group to share updates, motivation, and progress throughout the challenge.

The structure encourages both friendly competition and mutual support. Employees are motivated not only by the desire to win but also by the sense of connection the challenge fosters.

“We kind of let employees lead their own wellness initiatives, giving them support and a budget,” Rivas explained. “The step challenge was a natural fit because it combines wellness with a social element.”

Employees are encouraged to aim for 10,000 steps a day, but the challenge is designed to be flexible and inclusive. Those on maternity leave or holiday are welcome to participate at their own pace, ensuring that everyone feels included.

“We even have people on maternity leave or holiday who want to join in — it’s an extra way for us to keep that connection with people who are on leave for months sometimes,” said Rivas.

Results

The impact of YuMuuv on employee engagement and wellness has been profound. The most recent challenge saw remarkable participation and performance:

• 100% employee participation — every employee took part in the challenge.

• 84% of participants hit their personal goal of 10,000 steps a day.

• Over 1.2 million steps were logged collectively — the equivalent of walking from Dublin to Galway and back.

The competitive spirit within GPTW Ireland is palpable. Some participants go to extraordinary lengths to ensure their team’s success.

“We had stories of people walking until midnight on the last day just to hit their target,” Rivas said. “It’s incredible to see that level of motivation and how much fun they have with it.”

The social aspect of the challenge has also strengthened bonds across teams. “People send photos of their walks — lovely morning walks on the beach, or with their dogs in the park. It creates such a positive atmosphere and connection,” said Rivas.

Incentives and Motivation

While the step challenge is competitive, the primary motivator is not the reward but the sense of accomplishment and team spirit.

The winning team receives a €50 gift card per person as a token of appreciation, but for most participants, the real reward is the bragging rights.

“To be honest, I think they’re more motivated by the competition itself than the prize,” Rivas admitted. “It’s more about the bragging rights than the gift card.”

Participants have even developed playful rivalries, with some employees striving to outperform standout performers.

“One of our employees, Orla, walked over 150,000 steps in a week,” Rivas said. “It’s part of her daily routine because she lives on a farm, but everyone else wanted to beat her — it created this fun competitive energy.”

Feedback and Future Plans

Employee feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, and the challenge has become a highly anticipated event. The success of the first challenge led to a decision to increase the frequency from once to twice a year.

“I thought maybe they were just being nice to me because I organized it, but when I put it to a vote, 100% of people said they wanted to do it twice a year,” said Rivas.

Employees now regularly inquire about the next challenge, showing how embedded the step challenge has become in GPTW Ireland’s culture.

“When spring comes, people start asking me when the next challenge will be,” said Rivas. “It’s really become part of our work culture.”

From a technical standpoint, GPTW Ireland has praised the platform’s simplicity and ease of use.

“The fact that people don’t have to go through the setup process every time — they just click a link and they’re in — has made a huge difference,” Rivas noted.

Although GPTW Ireland has primarily used the step-tracking function, Rivas indicated that they might explore other features in the future.

“We haven’t tried any other challenges yet, but we’re open to exploring more in the future,” she said.

Conclusion

YuMuuv has proven to be more than just a wellness initiative for GPTW Ireland — it’s a tool for strengthening team connection, enhancing employee well-being, and building a more engaged work culture. By combining physical activity with friendly competition and social interaction, GPTW Ireland has created a unique and sustainable wellness program that employees genuinely look forward to.

“It’s not just about the steps; it’s about the connection it creates among the team,” said Rivas.