"Lost 30kg and Received a 2.8 Million Won Bonus"...Striking In-House Welfare Draws Attention

2022 Adult Obesity Rate in China at 50.7%

A new employee welfare program has been introduced in China. It is a weight loss incentive fund.

On the 8th, Hong Kong's South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported on the weight loss incentive fund, one of the welfare programs of Insta360, a technology company headquartered in Guangdong Province, southern China. The project, which started early last year, has a scale of 1 million yuan (about 187 million KRW). So far, 150 employees have participated, collectively losing 800 kg and receiving a total of 980,000 yuan (about 163 million KRW) in rewards.

The enthusiasm among employees was so high that obese employees had to be prioritized for assignment. Participants are divided into three groups, and their weight is measured weekly. Each time they lose weight, they are rewarded with 400 yuan (about 75,000 KRW). However, if even one member of the group gains weight, no one in the group receives a bonus, and each member must pay a fine of 500 yuan (about 90,000 KRW). It is reported that during the three months since the program started, not a single participant in the camp gained weight.

Mr. Li, an employee of the company, said, "If I don't lose weight, it not only affects my bonus but also the bonuses of other members, which creates psychological pressure." He added, "This method motivates people to exercise more not only for themselves but also for each other." He joined the camp in November last year and combined exercise such as running, swimming, and basketball after work with diet control, losing 17.5 kg in three months. Additionally, he received a bonus of 7,410 yuan (about 1.4 million KRW).

Mr. Xiao Chui, who successfully lost 30 kg, received a bonus of 15,000 yuan (about 2.83 million KRW). Another employee shouted, "This is all my fat," at the scene where bonuses were awarded.

Like other countries, obesity is a social problem in China. The adult obesity rate in China reached 50.7% in 2022, more than double what it was 20 years ago. Some studies predict that by 2030, the overweight and obesity rate among Chinese adults will reach 65.3%, and the resulting medical expenses will amount to 418 billion yuan (about 77.33 trillion KRW), accounting for about 21.5% of the total national medical expenses.