Apple invites employees to 'Close the Rings' in Apple Watch fitness challenge
In what appears to be a corporate health and wellness initiative, Apple in February invited employees to take part in an internal "Close the Rings" challenge that awarded participants with a T-shirt and special achievement pins.
Similar to Apple's Thanksgiving activity challenge, the employee-only event tracked user fitness metrics via Apple Watch during a preset time period. Participants who completed daily stand, movement and exercise goals, or "closed the rings," for each day in February are being awarded special prizes in recognition of their efforts.
Specifically, workers are receiving gold, silver and bronze pins designed to mimic in-app badges available in the Apple Watch Activities app. Apple is also giving away a black tee emblazoned with the familiar red, green and blue Apple Watch activity rings on the front and the words "Close the Rings Challenge 1.0" on the back. The slogan suggests the February event may be the first of many fitness challenges Apple has planned for its workers.
As noted by French language Apple enthusiast website WatchGeneration, a number of Apple employees who received their awards have posted pictures of the package to various social media platforms including Twitter and Instagram.
Sheraz Khan, a Technical Projects Specialist working in London, last week tweeted out a few up close photos of the Apple goodies, revealing a few lines of text that appear on a placard accompanying each reward pin.
Some 40,000 employees took part in the initiative, the report said, though how many shirts and pins Apple passed out is unclear.
Similar to Apple's Thanksgiving activity challenge, the employee-only event tracked user fitness metrics via Apple Watch during a preset time period. Participants who completed daily stand, movement and exercise goals, or "closed the rings," for each day in February are being awarded special prizes in recognition of their efforts.
Specifically, workers are receiving gold, silver and bronze pins designed to mimic in-app badges available in the Apple Watch Activities app. Apple is also giving away a black tee emblazoned with the familiar red, green and blue Apple Watch activity rings on the front and the words "Close the Rings Challenge 1.0" on the back. The slogan suggests the February event may be the first of many fitness challenges Apple has planned for its workers.
As noted by French language Apple enthusiast website WatchGeneration, a number of Apple employees who received their awards have posted pictures of the package to various social media platforms including Twitter and Instagram.
Sheraz Khan, a Technical Projects Specialist working in London, last week tweeted out a few up close photos of the Apple goodies, revealing a few lines of text that appear on a placard accompanying each reward pin.
According to the report, Apple used a third-party app called Challenges to conduct its "Close the Rings" event. The app, developed by FitNow, compiles and assigns point values to workout data, allowing users to participate in team-based challenges.Welcome to the winner's circle.
You did it. You completed the Close the Rings Challenge, and this badge is proof. Wear it, display it, or place it on your fridge.
Let it be a reminder that even though the Challenge is over, your healthier lifestyle is just beginning.
Some 40,000 employees took part in the initiative, the report said, though how many shirts and pins Apple passed out is unclear.
Comments
FYI, I worked a contract for a major oil company and they also had health activity initiatives.
Most large companies have similar wellness programs with incentives to improve health and wellness among staff. Our company givess monetary rewards and other small items.
But, as a retired former professional geek, I would have strongly objected to these measures... I focused entirely on my job and consistently worked 60-70 hour work weeks. I was goal oriented and simply didn't want to distract myself with "silly" things like: "closing the rings". I suspect the Steve Jobs would have taken the same view -- at least the pre-cancerous Steve Jobs.
Admittedly, today I am paying the price and trying to recover from those years and years of abusing my body with hour upon hour sitting at my desk where the only exercise I got was getting up for another cup of coffee or lighting another cigarette.
... Ok, so time for my daily run so I can close those damn rings!