Island real estate company 'steps up' with Fitbit challenge

A P.E.I. real estate company is stirring up the competitive juices using Fitbits. On the line? Office bragging rights and a chance to win back one-third of the cost of the activity tracker.

'There's a lot of bragging rights that come with these things'

Nancy Russell CBC News Posted: Jun 02, 2016 8:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: June 2, 2016

Joel Ives and his staff are regularly comparing their step totals as competition has heated up in the real estate office. (Nancy Russell/CBC)

Almost sixmillion steps and counting.

That's what realtor Joel Ives and his staff logged in their first month wearing the activity trackers. Office employees and agents logged 2,572 kilometres.

Ives said heheard about the idea at a conference this winteras a way to encourage workplace wellness.

Joel Ives actually went home to get his Fitbit when he forgot it one day, not wanting to miss any steps. (Nancy Russell/CBC)

"I thought it might be a good idea to get everybody moving and grooving a bit," explained Ives, owner of Century 21 Colonial Realty and Centum Mortgage Partners.

And sothe Fitbit 21 challenge was born.

'Healthy competition'

The company purchased the activity trackers at a bulk discount. Staff can earn back one-third of the cost of the tracker by increasing their activity by 21 per centbetween May 1stand Labour Day. Twenty of the company's 42 employees have signed up.

'So I got up and went back out for a couple of laps around the block until I got ahead.'Kelly Lantz, real estate agent

Updated results from the group's tracker are available in real time on the Fitbit site, including updated totals and a leader board. That has prompted some "healthy competition,"says Ives.

"I mean our job issales, it's a competitive industry," he said.

"There's a lot of bragging rights that come with these things, so that's probably the biggest part."

Bragging rights are on the line

Some employees, more than others, appear to have their eyes squarely on the leaderboard.

Agent Kelly Lantz admits she was going to bed one night when it looked as if she was about to be bumped out of the number one spot.

"So I got up and went back out for a couple of laps around the block until I got ahead," said Lantz.

Real estate agent Kelly Lantz is using her phone and ear buds to conduct deals as she walks her dog Coco along the Charlottetown boardwalk, racking up the steps as she works. (Nancy Russell/CBC)

"It's insane," laughed Shari Boucher, a member of the administrative support staff, about the Fitbit"trash talking" in the office.

Boucherhas made small changes to hit her goal of 10,000 steps a day.

"I did find I would do stairs more and, even in the office, I would make sure that I would run papers or documents to someone's office as opposed to emailing them and telling them to come," she said.

Even Ives admits he has been a bit obsessed with his steps, at times.

"The other day I came here and I didn't have mine on, so when I went home for lunch I made sure I got it because you feel like all these steps, they're not getting counted," joked Ives.

Stepping up their game

Whatever the motivation, the challenge seems to be inspiring the steppers to step up their game.

"I know, myself, I'm not as high as I'd like to be," observedIves.

"You soon realize you're not walking as much. I do a lot of desk work than maybe some of my agents who are out showing properties."

"If you have a lazy day, you can say 'Oh wow, my co-worker there has been on the move all day, I better get up and do something too,'" saidLantz, who says she now does deals on her phone while walking up and down the Charlottetown boardwalk.

Members of the group haveaveraged 50 minutes of physical activity a dayand an average of 10,400 steps per day, just over the Heart and Stroke Foundationrecommended number of 10,000.

Everyone can see the leader board in real time, prompting some fierce competition to stay at the top of the pack. (Nancy Russell/CBC)

Century 21 even put a corporate team of 10people in the recent Runway Run at the Charlottetown Airport which was, for many, their first 5Kof any kind.

"I think it has raised everyone's awareness to get a little bit more active," Ivessaid.

"A healthy worker is a great worker."

The Fitbit Challenge continues until Labour Day.

Corrections

An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that 2,572 kilometres is roughly the distance from Charlottetown to the middle of Texas. In fact, the distance from Charlottetown to Texas is roughly 2,500 miles.
Jun 02, 2016 1:47 PM AT

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