A BRIGHTON strategy and investment consultancy has won a national wellbeing challenge.

The team from Surge Group, based in Portland Street, used the new Healthia employee wellbeing and reward app which motivated the team towards better fitness.

Surge Group won the overall challenge by achieving the highest number of activity points at 26,296 activity points.

Points were awarded based on World Health Organisation and NICE recommendations for physical activity which advise 150 minutes of exercise per week or 20 minutes of moderate intensity exercise every day.

The 30-day Healthia Wellbeing Challenge was the first of its kind in the UK and involved employees competing in teams to earn activity points and reward gems for achieving physical activity targets.

Sodexo Benefits and Rewards Services came second followed by Surge Group 2 in third place.

Paul Careless, CEO, Surge Group Plc, said: “The welfare of our team is vital at every level to stay focused, work at a sustainable pace and help us to stay on top of our game.

“The team are an active bunch so watching them step up a gear and taking part in the challenge really reinforced the importance of motivation.

“The challenge bought the team together.

“Each day we would compare activity levels and take lunch breaks going for runs, classes or even walking flights of stairs!

“The competitive aspect and rewards motivated us to reach our activity goals and the wider team encouraged us too.”

Surge Group’s wellbeing offering includes daily healthy breakfasts, wellbeing massages, discounted gym membership, an in-house barista and an in-house barber.

Nearly 60 per cent of participants achieved the government recommendations of 150 minutes of moderate or vigorous activity a week during the challenge.

More than half (55 per cent) of participants engaged with the app every day and one in three (33 per cent) redeemed a reward for achieving activity goals.

One in four completed the sleep coaching programme.

Whilst the male participants achieved higher activity scores overall, the female participants reported better health metrics such as blood pressure, cholesterol and blood glucose.

The challenge had a positive environmental element with 82 carbon saving journeys made during the month through active travel modes such as the bike, walking and running.

This equated to a total of 1535kg of CO2 during the month-long challenge.

Glenn Rankin, Healthia CEO, said: “It’s not always easy to be active with a growing to-do list but the benefits are endless to both our physical and emotional wellbeing and the health of the business.

“Challenges are a highly effective way to engage and reward teams towards better health, in and out of the workplace.

“The rise of digital health technology allows us to monitor, manage, motivate and incentivise wellbeing in a more strategic, accurate and proactive manner.”