U-walk is a wellness program that promotes physical activity among university employees. It uses walking routes on campus and ID card scanners to track participation. Employees from different departments compete in walking challenges to earn points and prizes. The program is designed to be social, simple, and engaging while integrating with employees' daily routines. It aims to increase physical activity, teamwork, and productivity among employees while lowering health costs for universities. Initial testing at Stanford University found that employees enjoyed the social and competitive aspects of U-walk.

1. U -walk
Revolutionizing University Employee Wellness
@kaikight KAI KIGHT krkight@stanford.edu

2. College campuses are filled with
employees who work in department
offices behind the scenes.

3. Desk jobs can
lead to habitual
sedentary
behavior

4. Colleges around the country are starting
wellness programs to promote physical
activity

5. Colleges around the country are starting
wellness programs to promote physical
activity

6. Colleges around the country are starting
wellness programs to promote physical
activity

7. Colleges around the country are starting
wellness programs to promote physical
activity

8. Colleges around the country are starting
wellness programs to promote physical
activity

9. While some programs do succeed in improving
employee health...

10. While some programs do succeed in improving
employee health...
many FAIL to reach a
wide employee
audience.

11. While some programs do succeed in improving
employee health...
many FAIL to reach a
wide employee
audience.
WHY?

12. 1. Disconnection from the actual daily
routines of the employees

13. 1. Disconnection from the actual daily
routines of the employees
2. Overlooking of the social and
behavioral dynamics of the office
environment

14. University Employees need a way to combine their
daily routines in a way that is...

15. University Employees need a way to combine their
daily routines in a way that is...
SOCIAL

16. University Employees need a way to combine their
daily routines in a way that is...
SOCIAL
SIMPLE

17. University Employees need a way to combine their
daily routines in a way that is...
SOCIAL
SIMPLE
ENGAGING

18. THE
SOLUTION

19. U -walk
is a program for University employees that
promotes walking in a way that matches the
systems and routines already in place on college
campuses.

20. HOW DOES
IT WORK?

21. U -walk
6 steps

22. 1 U -walk
University departments
challenge each other to
walking competitions

23. 2 U -walk
Employees select a campus
walking route from a pre-made
list provided by U-walk

24. U -walk

25. 3 U -walk
Employees walk the route while
scanning their ID cards at card
readers along the way that are
designated by U-walk

26. U -walk

27. 4 U -walk
U-walk, in collaboration with
Campus card IT services,
checks the participation by
analyzing employee swipes at
designated scanners

28. 5 U -walk
Points are given to employees
for completing walks and
swiping cards

29. 6 U -walk
The department with the most
points after a span of time wins
discounts sponsored by local
campus businesses

30. U -walk

31. WHY
U -WALK?

32. With U -walk, Universities can...

33. With U -walk, Universities can...
1. Increase employee teamwork and communication

34. With U -walk, Universities can...
1. Increase employee teamwork and communication
2. Lower health insurance expenses

35. With U -walk, Universities can...
1. Increase employee teamwork and communication
2. Lower health insurance expenses
3. Increase employee productivity and health

36. With U -walk, Employees can...

37. With U -walk, Employees can...
1. Increase physical activity

38. With U -walk, Employees can...
1. Increase physical activity
2. Gain discounts just from walking

39. With U -walk, Employees can...
1. Increase physical activity
2. Gain discounts just from walking
3. Increase workplace engagement through
cooperation and competition

40. BUT WHAT
CAN CAMPUS
BUSINESSES
GAIN?

41. 1. If a company is sponsoring prizes, U -walk can
literally drive traffic to their location by having
routes pass through the business site

42. 1. If a company is sponsoring prizes, U -walk can
literally drive traffic to their location by having
routes pass through the business site
2. Positive advertising

43. 1. If a company is sponsoring prizes, U -walk can
literally drive traffic to their location by having
routes pass through the business site
2. Positive advertising
3. Customers in bulk

44. What do university
employees think of
U -Walk?

45. After a three week test run of U -walk at
Stanford University...
Employees greatly enjoyed the social and
gamification aspects of U-walk

46. EMPLOYEE QUOTES
"I liked having a constant reason to stay active during my breaks. I saw
complete new parts of campus for the first time!"
- Music Department staff
"Walking during breaks feels more like a game now. Before it was just for
exercise"
- Undergraduate advising staff
"It increased communication and cohesion across our department. We even
planned times to walk together as a unit!"
- Vice provost operations staff
"It's kind of like walking tours and Groupon all in one"
- Engineering department staff

47. THANK YOU
Special thanks to BJ Fogg, Stanford University Campus Card Office, Stanford University
BeWell Program, and the amazing employee participants from Stanford University
My name is Kai Kight and I am a
Junior at Stanford University
majoring in Product Design. If
you want to bring U -walk to your
college or university, or if you
would simply like more
information about the project,
please contact me by email,
twitter, or phone.
KAI KIGHT krkight@stanford.edu @kaikight 301 455 1992