News

Relax, Renew, Refresh (Wellness Plan Challenge)

person standing in the sunset on a cliff with hands in the air

The second FY26 wellness challenge is around the corner...

Starting January 21, 2026, our next challenge will focus on mental and physical wellbeing with each destination providing insight into how to relax, renew, and refresh your whole person. A perfect start to a new calendar year. 

This challenge will be a steps-based challenge with teams of up to 8 UA employees. As each team collects their steps, they will begin to unlock tips and tricks that focus on personal wellness and restoration.

Registration | OPENS JANUARY 14

  • Registration begins: January 14, 2026
  • Registration ends: January 21, 2026 (although, you can register and join a team after the challenge starts)
  • Team total: 8 members
  • To register, login to your Personify Health portal, click on "Social" in the tool bar at the top, then "Challenges" in the drop down menu. REGISTRATION IS NOT OPEN UNTIL JANUARY 14. The challenge will not be available on the platform until that day. An email will be sent from Personify Health directly on January 14 to remind you to register. Additional reminder will be included in our January 20 newsletter. 

Challenge Dates | STARTS JANUARY 21 - ENDS FEBRUARY 4

  • Challenge begins: January 21, 2026
  • Challenge ends: February 4, 2026
  • Last day to record steps earned between the challenge dates: February 6, 2026 (Remember, syncing only goes back 2 weeks. Make sure your step count is updated in the Personify Health portal often)

Unlock Destinations with Step Count

As you and your team move through the challenge, you will begin to unlock up to 5 “destinations.” These destinations will provide information on relaxation, downtime, sleep, and more.

  • Each destination requires a total of 210,000 steps to unlock
  • From start (The Art of Relaxation) to finish (The Sleep You Need) you are your team will need to take a total of 840,000 steps
  • For an 8 person team, that’s a total of 105,000 steps per person which averages out to about 7,500 steps per day between January 21 - February 4, 2026. 
    1. The Art of Relaxation
    2. Relaxing the Body
    3. Relaxing the Mind
    4. Downtime
    5. The Sleep You Need

Important Information

  • Track your steps
    • You do not need to have a special tracking device to track steps. Steps can be manually entered into the platform. Feel free to use your regular tracking tools (pedometer, apple health, other phone apps, devices, etc).
  • Record your steps
    • All step data must be synced or manually uploaded to the challenge no later than February 6, 2026.
    • Remember, if syncing a device, the history will only go back 2 weeks so be sure to sync regularly!
  • Join any group - you do not need to "know" one already
    • You can create a team of 8 or you can join an open team.
    • You do not need to create a team of 8, or know a team of 8, in order to participate in this challenge.
    • The maximum number of members on a team is 8. 
  • Changing teams
    • You can change teams up until the challenge start date (January 21). After the challenge has started, teams will be locked. 
  • Earn a point (one point maximum for the company challenges in FY26)
  • Point earning alternatives (if you already earned your point for the company challenge in September)
    • If you already earned your company challenge point during our September Challenge, you can still earn a point toward your wellness program by completing the 20-day triple tracker challenge. Start today and get a point for the month of January by… 
      • Logging 10,000 steps a day or 30 active/workout minutes a day 
      • Completing either activity for a minimum of 20 days in the month of January
    • The 20-day triple tracker challenge is repeatable up to 4 times. Each completed month is worth 1 point.  Maximum of 4 points.
  • Required points
    • Don’t forget there are two required points needed to complete the FY26 wellness program - Health Risk Check and the Biometric Screening.
  • Recording points
    • All points must be completed and recorded in the Personify Health portal on or before June 30, 2026. No late points will be accepted. Be sure to start early and ensure you have your points in the portal before June 30.
  • Understanding the wellness program

Emailed via benefits newsletter on 1/6/2026.
Contact Benefits: (907) 450-8242 | ua-benefits@alaska.edu | schedule one-on-one time