Many organisations today operate in hybrid work models, where employees split their time between the office and remote locations. A common challenge is maintaining sufficient in-office presence to support effective collaboration and team dynamics. The RAAY RE team has developed Hanni, an application designed to increase employees’ willingness to spend more time in the office through structured incentives.

Hanni uses a gamification-based mechanism to encourage staff to be physically present with colleagues. Points, team challenges, and rewards are linked to shared office time and joint activities. The goal is to strengthen collaboration, improve team efficiency, and foster a positive working environment. The app requires minimal administrative effort and can be implemented quickly.

Evidence for the Value of In-Office Work

Two recent studies provide clear evidence that a balanced office presence adds measurable value compared with predominantly remote work.

1. Fraunhofer IAO study in cooperation with Techniker Krankenkasse (2026)

An analysis of productivity data from more than 11,000 employees showed that individual output on focused tasks is approximately 20% higher when working from home. However, overall team productivity reaches a tipping point at around 60% home-office share (roughly three days per week). Beyond this level, productivity declines because informal exchanges, spontaneous support, and collaborative processes – which occur primarily in the office – are reduced. The authors conclude that the office environment remains essential for knowledge sharing and team interaction.

2. Employee innovation during office work, work from home, and hybrid work (University of Chicago, 2024)

Published in Scientific Reports, the study examined more than 48,000 employees at a large IT services company and tracked the quantity and quality of submitted ideas across office, fully remote, and hybrid periods. While the number of ideas remained stable during full remote work, their quality (measured by internal acceptance, client sharing, and client approval) decreased significantly. In the subsequent hybrid phase, both the quantity and quality of ideas suffered further due to poorly coordinated office attendance. The researchers attribute this to reduced opportunities for spontaneous interaction and collaboration, which are more difficult to replicate remotely.

Additional research consistently links extended remote work with increased social isolation and potential negative effects on mental health. Regular office presence can therefore help maintain social connections and a sense of belonging within teams.

How Hanni Supports Motivation, Health, and Performance

Hanni addresses these findings directly. By rewarding office attendance and physical activities, the app increases the frequency and quality of personal interaction and employee health. This leads to the following documented effects:

• Employee motivation: Structured rewards and team-based challenges create clear incentives for collaborative behaviour. Employees are more likely to choose office days voluntarily, which in turn supports the collaborative processes shown to be important in the studies above.
• Employee health: More regular contact with colleagues reduces the risk of isolation that can accompany high levels of remote work. Stronger social bonds are associated with improved mental well-being and lower stress levels. Increased physical activity improves health and reduces susceptibility to illness.
• Lower absenteeism: Teams with better cohesion and reduced isolation tend to experience fewer stress-related absences. At the same time, the app promotes healthy habits (such as active commuting), which can contribute to overall physical resilience.
• A Better Work Environment The playful approach to the tasks and challenges built into Hanni strengthens the sense of unity within teams.
• Company performance: Improved collaboration accelerates decision-making, raises the quality of ideas, and strengthens team output. The result is higher overall efficiency and sustained organisational performance.

Conclusion

Hanni offers a practical, evidence-based approach to optimising hybrid work arrangements. By encouraging meaningful office time, the application helps organisations realise the proven benefits of personal collaboration while preserving the flexibility employees value. Organisations interested in testing the solution can find further information at our product website hanni.now.