GCC (Global Corporate Challenge) as a model of employee motivation towards physical activity

Abstract

Habits such as poor diet, not enough exercising and poor sleeping, are becoming a part of everyday lifestyle of the working population, but also the population in general. Chronic diseases, such as obesity, diabetes type 2, heart diseases, anxiety, locomotor system diseases, and so on, are more and more common. Governments, businesses and individuals have realized the problem and they are starting to create organizations that use workplace for the promotion of a healthy lifestyle. One such organization is the GCC (Global Corporate Challenge), which is in comprehensive and holistic way presented in this master thesis as a model of encouraging employees to do physical activity, and start changing bad habits such as bad nutrition and insufficient sleep. The aim of this master thesis is to analyze theoretical research, results of empirical research and to explore GCC organization websites, to explain the method of functioning of the program, its models and effects of its practical application. GCC is a global corporate organization that includes 1.5 million employees and 4.700 organizations from 185 countries. The program lasts four months (111 days), and works by encouraging employees who are participants of the program, to create a minimum of 10.000 steps per day. Divided into teams of seven, each employee receives a pedometer, which measures the number of steps. The teams compete on a virtual trip around the world, by entering in a world map each individual number of steps, which are summarized and transmitted to kilometers / miles. The winner is the team that covers most distance and win most locations. In addition to steps and the distance, pedometer measures overall activity through modern 3D sensor, heart rate and calculates the number of burned calories. The entire program is conducted online, through the GCC website and through the GCC applications for smart phones, applications can be easily downloaded from the GCC website, and they are helping about monitoring, controlling and measuring progress in activities. GCC me application checks the condition before starting the program, GCC nutrition control diet, GCC sleep controls sleep, GCC sprint is support after the end of the basic program, and in the following year this application is helping employees to maintain new healthy habits and monitor their progress. Based on researches about GCC program, it can be concluded that GCC, as the model of encouraging employees to change their bad habits related to physical inactivity, poor nutrition and inadequate sleep, GCC had a positive effect in all three segments, and this leads to less absenteeism due to illness of employees, stress was reduced and productivity at work has increased.