PCI’s annual fitness challenge fosters teamwork, wellness, and company-wide engagement through friendly competition.
By Zoe Robinette and John Groden
In May 2025, Parking Concepts, Inc. (PCI) invites its employees to lace up their shoes and prepare for the 7th Annual PCI 500 Fitness Challenge. Teams from coast to coast will come together in friendly rivalry, vying for the prestigious title of top team within the organization. This annual celebration is scheduled to coincide with National Physical Fitness and Sports Month, highlighting our dedication to health and wellness through national initiatives.
Over the years, PCI has established a comprehensive health and safety program for its employees, featuring a scorecard that monitors progress and encourages active participation. By nurturing a culture centered on fitness, PCI aims to elevate employee well-being while fostering collaboration and camaraderie among our diverse teams. The advantages extend beyond mere health metrics. The real power of the PCI 500 Fitness Challenge lies in its ability to nurture fellowship and teamwork. Participating in this engaging competition not only promotes fitness but also deepens connections among colleagues, creating a more vibrant, cohesive workplace. As we prepare for this year’s challenge, we celebrate not just individual successes but the collective spirit that inspires us all toward a healthier future.
Gill Barnett, PCI’s CEO and founder, has been an ardent supporter of the annual challenge. Starting each day with an hour on the treadmill, Barnett consistently advocates for exercise and positive health practices within the PCI community.
Poster courtesy of PCI.
How it works
Designed for maximum participation and engagement, the PCI 500 Fitness Challenge involves employee teams competing to see who can walk the most steps and win various team activities. Employees register through a user-friendly fitness app that tracks their progress in terms of steps per day and facilitates communication of individual and team results. Through the app, participants can share text messages and pictures, with competitive yet lighthearted banter encouraged to maintain the fun spirit of the event.
While the app collects activity data, team leaders take additional steps to promote exercise, organizing scheduled hikes and other group fitness activities. To ensure smooth coordination, team leaders meet bi-weekly in the months leading up to and during the competition, which lasts from May 1 through June 30. These meetings enable leaders to collaborate and exchange ideas and strategies, helping the program evolve into a celebrated annual tradition.
To keep the momentum going throughout the event, PCI issues a weekly newsletter highlighting standout performances, upcoming events, and motivational stories. This year, a dedicated social media campaign will also amplify the excitement, encouraging participation and celebrating the collective achievements of employees.
Evolution: a journey of growth and engagement
Over the years, the PCI Fitness Challenge has continually evolved, adapting to meet the changing needs of participants while boosting inclusivity and engagement. Here’s a look at how the program has transformed:
Year 1: Weight loss and miles walked
In its inaugural year, the challenge focused on two key metrics: weight loss and miles walked. Prizes were awarded to the top three individuals and the top three teams with the highest scores. Although this format motivated high achievers, it unintentionally excluded employees who felt less confident about competing in weight-related categories.
Years 2-5: Embracing inclusivity
To encourage broader participation, PCI made significant adjustments:
• The weight-loss category was eliminated, leading to a noticeable increase in participation. This shift enabled employees to focus on fitness and health without the pressure of weight-focused competition.
• Teams were reorganized by service lines, encouraging employees to rally around their divisions and creating a stronger sense of identity.
• The focus shifted to collaboration and collective effort, strengthening relationships and teamwork and building a sense of community across PCI.
Year 6: Rewards for participation
The sixth year introduced new elements to make the competition even more engaging:
• Miles walked as the key metric: Simplifying the scoring system, the focus shifted exclusively to miles walked.
• Random weekly drawings: Individual prizes were no longer reserved for top performers but were instead awarded through random weekly drawings. To qualify, participants needed to meet a minimum mileage threshold, leveling the playing field and encouraging involvement from all fitness levels.
• Grand prize for top teams: Although individual rewards became randomized, the top-performing team still earned a grand prize, maintaining the emphasis on teamwork.
This revised structure encouraged participation by removing performance-related pressures while rewarding effort and engagement.
Year 7: Introducing group team activities
This year, the PCI Fitness Challenge has added a new dimension — scheduled team activities. Scheduled to occur every other Saturday during the challenge, these events are designed to combine fitness with fun while strengthening regional bonds. Highlights of this initiative include:
• In-person collaboration: Employees from the same region will come together for organized activities, promoting a sense of unity and friendly competition.
• Balancing fitness and fun: These group events provide a unique opportunity to promote teamwork while ensuring participants enjoy themselves.
PCI believes this innovative approach will enhance the challenge’s impact, creating memorable experiences that inspire employees to stay engaged and connected.
Reported health benefits
Employees at PCI have reported a range of health benefits arising from the company's robust health and safety initiatives, particularly through programs like the PCI 500 Fitness Challenge. Many have noted enhancements in physical fitness, with increased participation in regular exercise leading to improved stamina and overall well-being.
Engaging in physical activities and team-building exercises has also contributed to reduced stress levels among employees. Teamwork elevated through friendly competition has not only elevated morale but also cultivated a more supportive work environment. This sense of community is essential for mental well-being, as employees feel a stronger connection to their peers.
The focus on health and wellness has facilitated a better work-life balance. Employees appreciate the encouragement to prioritize their well-being, resulting in increased productivity and job satisfaction. The positive feedback underscores how PCI’s commitment to employee wellness significantly enhances their lives, both within and outside the workplace.
Beyond health benefits
The PCI 500 Fitness Challenge has not only boosted employee wellness but has also profoundly influenced collaboration and team spirit across the organization. Employees from various sites, districts, regions, and service lines — who previously had minimal interaction — are now actively engaging with one another. This newfound connection has strengthened relationships within the company and established a sense of belonging to the larger PCI corporate "family."
Before the challenge, employees lacked a reason or platform to communicate and collaborate beyond their immediate teams or work locations. The PCI 500 Fitness Challenge provided this opportunity, encouraging employees to interact, support each other, and build connections beyond their usual work settings.
This initiative has resulted in:
• Cross-region collaboration: Employees now feel more comfortable reaching out to colleagues across different regions for support, making the organization more adaptable and efficient. This has improved collaboration as networks expand within the company.
• Enhanced team atmosphere: Employees have evolved from isolated groups into a cohesive, integrated team. This transformation has generated a sense of unity and shared purpose, enriching the overall corporate culture.
• Improved health and safety performance: The heightened commitment has yielded tangible benefits, including advancements in the company's health and safety metrics. Employees are increasingly motivated to prioritize their self-care and support one another in maintaining safe and healthy work environments.
• A more integrated corporate environment: The PCI 500 has contributed to a corporate culture that is more interconnected than ever. Employees now recognize that they are part of something larger, working together as a unified team to achieve both personal and professional aspirations.
The PCI 500 Fitness Challenge has revolutionized workplace culture at PCI, fostering a profound sense of engagement, collaboration, and organizational success. This initiative has gone far beyond a simple fitness competition, leaving a lasting imprint on employee relationships and teamwork. What was once a collection of individuals has now become a thriving, interconnected team united by shared goals and camaraderie.
Looking ahead
The PCI Fitness Challenge is more than just an event: It’s a celebration of health, teamwork, and community. Over the years, it has evolved into an inclusive, inspiring initiative that reflects PCI’s unwavering commitment to employee well-being and an interconnected workplace culture.
As the company prepares for the 7th Annual PCI Fitness Challenge, it looks forward to even greater success and participation. This legacy program continues to grow, bringing employees closer together, and reinforcing the sense of unity that defines the PCI family.
A legacy of health and wellness
At PCI, the ultimate goal of the fitness challenge has always been to promote health, fitness, and well-being while strengthening the bonds among employees. By aligning the initiative with national physical fitness campaigns, PCI positions itself as a company that prioritizes its employees' holistic development and engagement.
The PCI 500 Fitness Challenge is more than just an annual event; it’s a cornerstone of PCI’s corporate culture. It serves as a reminder that achieving health and wellness doesn’t have to be a solitary journey; it can be a collective one. With every passing year, PCI continues to enhance and grow this program, ensuring its positive impact resonates throughout the organization and beyond.
Together, PCI employees are embracing a healthier lifestyle, creating meaningful connections, and building a legacy of wellness for years to come. Here’s to fitness, fun, and a stronger PCI family!
ZOE ROBINETTE is president of Industrial Athlete Pros. She can be reached at zrobinette@industrialathletes.pro.
JOHN GRODEN, CPP, is vice president of airports for Parking Concepts, Inc. He can be reached at JGroden@parkingconcepts.com.
