Chinese Technology Company Challenges Employees To Lose Weight Worth Millions Of Yuan

Illustration of exercise to shrink the body (Photo: Pixabay/Erak007)

JAKARTA - A Chinese technology company, Arashi Vision Inc. or better known as Insta360, has attracted public attention by offering a bonus worth one million yuan (around US$140,000) to encourage employees to lose weight.

Reporting from the South China Morning Post, Saturday, September 6, this annual program is called Million Yuan Weight Loss Challenge and is held to motivate employees to live a healthy lifestyle through regular exercise and balanced eating patterns.

The rules are quite simple. Each employee has the right to register, and for every decrease of 0.5 kg, participants get a prize of 500 yuan or around Rp. 1 million.

This year, a Z-generation employee named Xie Yaqi managed to reduce 20 kg in three months, winning a cash prize of 20,000 yuan or around IDR 44 million.

Xie revealed that he is disciplined in undergoing programs, regulating eating patterns, and exercising 1.5 hours every day.

"I believe this is the best moment in my life to be the best version of me. It's not just about appearance, but health," Xie said.

Xie also shared the Qin Hao weight loss method' method to motivate other co-workers to stagnate. The method includes drinking soybean milk on the first day, eating corn on the second day, fruit on the third day, and taking turns between protein and vegetables the following day.

Since 2022, the company has held seven rounds of these challenges with a total prize of almost two million yuan (around US$ 280,000). Last year, 99 employees participated.

Through this challenge, we want to encourage a healthy lifestyle and prioritize employee welfare, not just about work. This program is a positive incentive so that they are more enthusiastic about working and living life," the company representative wrote.

Interestingly, this challenge also has a penalty. Participants who experience weight gains must pay a fine of 800 yuan (around US$ 110) for each increase of 0.5 kg. So far, no participants have been penalized.