When the Boston Heart Walk team received word Amazon would soon require employees to work from home, they quickly mobilized and created a new activity to engage this new group of remote workers in the American Heart Association’s mission.
Under the leadership of Carleen Tucker, development director, the team pivoted from a traditional Heart Walk to a Healthy for Good steps challenge during Move More Month in April.
The goal is to turn small daily steps into huge strides toward better health through activities such as 10 minutes of stretching, 20 minutes of vacuuming, one hour of dancing each week, and more — all while raising money toward Heart Walk.
“We’ve made this request of Amazon before but recommending this solution at the right time for remote employee engagement was a win-win,” Carleen said.
Amazon has invited 2,000 employees from their Massachusetts locations to participate in the challenge. They can choose to participate in a run challenge, steps challenge or standing challenge. A first, second and third place winner will be announced in each category.
Getting the recommended 150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous activity, 75 minutes of vigorous activity, or a combination each week is linked to lower risk of disease and depression and improved mental health and cognitive function. This will be especially vital while sheltering in place and working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Amazon was one of 84 companies to participate in the 2019 Boston Heart Walk. To start a team for this year’s walk, scheduled for Sept. 12, visit bostonheartwalk.org.
Looking for tips to stay active at home? Visit our Move More Together website, where you can access lots of helpful content like the video below. Working out is easier than you think. In fact, it’s something you can do just about anytime and anywhere, regardless of the equipment on hand. We’ve got tips to help you get going, so take a look and start to #MoveMore.