Xiaomi (小米) holds inaugural employee sports meet after 16 years; Lei Jun (雷军) delivers closing address

A first in company history

Xiaomi (小米) staged its first-ever company-wide employee sports meet on April 11, marking the first such event since the group’s founding in 2010 — a 16-year wait. The event, announced via the official Weibo account of Xiaomi Administration (@小米行政), culminated in a closing address by founder Lei Jun (雷军), who urged staff to prioritise physical and mental health.

Scale and events

It has been reported that the main venue was in Beijing, with simultaneous activities in Wuhan, Nanjing, Shenzhen and Shanghai, and that more than 3,000 employees took part. Competitions ranged from 100m and 200m sprints to badminton and a dry-land dragon-boat race, alongside fitness-oriented tests such as VBT strength measurements and a smart ab-roller challenge. Organisers emphasised a mix of competition and relaxation, with a yoga zone intended to help employees decompress from daily work rhythms.

Leadership message and corporate tone

In his closing remarks Lei Jun reportedly said the motivation was simple: remind Xiaomi employees to take sport seriously and to care for their well-being. The company’s social-posting framed the meet as “more than sprinting — it’s relaxation and passion,” positioning the event as both a team-building exercise and a wellness initiative.

Why it matters

Why hold a sports meet now? For Western readers, Xiaomi is best known as one of China’s largest smartphone and consumer-electronics makers, increasingly global in reach. Corporate wellness events are becoming more visible across China’s tech sector as firms recalibrate workplace culture under intense market competition and a period of heightened regulatory scrutiny. Whether this marks a broader shift in employee engagement at Xiaomi or is a one-off celebration remains to be seen.