Insights for modern HR teams.
Practical tips, studies and field reports on hybrid work, wellbeing, culture and compliance — curated by the onyo team.
Why narcissistic leaders oppose remote work
A US study suggests that power and status motives may influence leaders’ attitudes towards remote work. What the findings mean – and how HR can develop fair hybrid-work policies.
Free Webinar with HRNeeds: Home Office – What's Mandatory, What's Optional?
On 15 October 2026 (11:00–12:00 CEST), onyo co-founder Jens Wöhrle shows in a free webinar with HRNeeds how employers can organise home office obligations, ergonomics and equipment pragmatically and with legal certainty.
Savills study 2026: How can we measure the value of the office?
99% see office value for culture and collaboration, but only 38% consider it highly measurable. What the Savills study means for HR, occupancy and hybrid work.
Tax-Free Home Office Budget: Equipment Instead of Cash Allowance
Work equipment is tax-free, a cash allowance is not. Why €1,000 in allowance leaves only about €420 in equipment value – and how employers should design a home office budget.
Booking a Desk: How a Workplace Booking System Works
From spreadsheet to workplace booking system: how employees book desks, rooms and parking, which rules make sense and how to roll it out in four weeks.
Zukunft Personal Europe 2026 in Cologne: What HR Teams Can Expect
From 15 to 17 September 2026, Koelnmesse becomes the centre of the European HR world again. Dates, key topics, and how to plan a visit focused on hybrid work and employee experience.
Desk Sharing Software: What Companies Should Look For in 2026
Desk sharing software governs who uses which desk and when. Which features actually matter, what it costs, which legal points apply – and how to choose the right solution.
Remote Work and Mental Health: Why New Places, Movement and Contact Matter
A Science study of 588,322 workers finds remote work explains about a third of the rise in psychological distress. The problem is not working from home — it is how it is designed. What employers should take from the research.
Office Utilization Jumps to 53%: What the CBRE 2026 Study Means for Hybrid Work
Global office utilization rose from 38% to 53% in 2025 – the largest annual gain since 2021. The CBRE Global Workplace & Occupancy Insights 2026 report shows people come to the office for collaboration, not for attendance mandates. The key figures and what HR and workplace leaders should take from them.
Mobile Work vs. Telework: The Legal Differences Employers Need to Know
Mobile work, telework and home office are often used interchangeably. For employers, however, there are major differences in occupational safety, equipment, costs and co-determination. What HR teams need to know.
Sick Leave & Hybrid Work: How Flexible Work Reduces Germany's Record Absenteeism
Germany's sick leave rate is at an all-time high, costing the economy roughly 77 billion euros a year. Recent analyses from DAK, TK and ifo show that hybrid work reduces short-term sickness, cuts presenteeism and is an underrated lever for corporate health management.
Workplace Accident in Home Office: When Lunch Breaks Are Insured – Two Rulings from Hesse
Two recent rulings by the Hessian Higher Social Court show: A lunchtime walk to a kebab shop can be a workplace accident – but not always. What HR and employees need to know.
Return-to-Office Despite 20% Higher Productivity: Why Narcissism Drives Bosses Back to the Office
Fraunhofer IAO and Techniker Krankenkasse show home office is around 20% more productive than office work – up to a tipping point of about 60%. Yet many executives call teams back. A Wharton study reveals an uncomfortable driver: narcissism.
Remote Work Can Boost Birth Rates: New ifo Study Reveals Surprising Effect
Couples where both partners work from home at least one day a week have children more often. The ifo study shows fertility rates are on average 14 percent higher. What does this mean for employers?
Setting Up the Home Office for Employees: An HR Guide Based on DGUV (2026)
How employers should equip their employees' home office – along the 3 DGUV scenarios and consistently by product category (chair, desk, IT) instead of rigid bundles.
impulse magazine: "What became of the idea of offering home office equipment as an employee benefit?"
In May 2026, German founders' magazine impulse interviewed our co-founder Jens Wöhrle for its "What became of…" series – about the evolution of Onyo, the merger with Designfunktion and why a great product alone isn't enough.
Constance Home Office Study 2026: Home Office as a Lever in the Energy Crisis
The new Constance Home Office Study 2026 reveals: One extra home-office day per week could save more than 32 million litres of fuel daily – while reducing employee stress.
2026 Energy Crisis: Why Home Office Is Becoming Strategic for HR
Rising oil prices and fragile supply chains make home office a strategic HR lever again in 2026 – five immediate actions for companies.
Sedentary Hybrid Work: Why Sitting Is the Biggest Health Risk of Modern Work
The SITFLEX study reveals how hybrid work dramatically increases sitting time. What HR must do now for ergonomics, movement and employee health.
Home-Office-as-a-Service: How onyo Reinvents Safety, Ergonomics and Compliance for Remote Work
The trade magazine "Der Facility Manager" (issues 7–8/2025) features onyo as a solution for legally compliant, ergonomic and healthy home office – an overview of the model, employer duties and impact.
Sick Days in Bavaria 2024: What HR Must Learn From the New BR/BKK Data
Sick days in Bavaria are rising sharply – with huge regional differences. The BR/BKK analysis shows: health, leadership and home-office ergonomics drive absenteeism. What HR must do now.
DEKRA Workplace Safety Report 2025: What HR Must Know About Safety, Health & Home Office
The DEKRA Workplace Safety Report 2025 reveals: absences are rising, safety culture is eroding, and home offices are ergonomically risky. Key findings for HR – with concrete actions for hybrid and remote work.
Germany Is a Home-Office Leader in 2025: Numbers, City Ranking & HR Playbook
Germany ranks among the world's top countries for remote job postings in 2025. What the latest figures mean for recruiting, retention, compliance and health – plus a 7-step playbook for HR.
Zukunft Personal Europe 2025: Trends, Practice & Networking for HR – onyo Will Be There
Zukunft Personal Europe 2025 (Sept 9–11, Cologne) is Europe's leading HR event. onyo shows on-site how home office becomes healthy, productive and compliant – plus a free ticket code for our community.
Passport Home Office: Wrong Incentives, Important Insight – Why Remote Work Is Gold for Employees
Berlin's immigration office ties home office to naturalization quotas. What the "passport home office" affair reveals about the true value of remote work – and how HR should do it right.
Home Office 🐘🏢 – The Elephant in the Room
Home office is the new normal – but many companies merely tolerate it. Why HR can no longer ignore the elephant in the room: studies, risks and concrete recommendations.
Home Office Improves Workplace Culture: Capterra Study & HR Insights
Capterra survey 2022: up to 31% less arguing, gossip and bullying since teams went hybrid or remote. What the numbers mean for HR and how to foster a healthy remote work culture.
Why Home Office in Germany Is Here to Stay
Ifo study 2025: German academic professionals work 1.6 days per week from home – above the global average. What the numbers mean for HR, families and hybrid work models.
Podcast: Collaboration in the Home Office – Jens’ Tips for the Perfect Setup
On the Workwise Recruiting Talk podcast, Jens (onyo) shares his tips for productive, healthy and collaborative remote work – including a 7-point plan for the home office agreement.
Labor Market Crisis: It’s Jobs That Need to Improve, Not Employees
78% are doing the bare minimum, mental-health absences up 52% – costs run into hundreds of billions. Why the answer is better working conditions, not more performance.
Remote Work: How Much Salary Would Employees Give Up for It?
US study of 2,000 office workers: 40% would give up at least 5% of salary for remote work, one in ten even 20%. What this means for German employers and HR.
Coalition Agreement: 7 Topics That Concern HR
Flexible working hours, the right to remote work, fewer fixed-term contracts, skilled-worker immigration, training, diversity and digitalisation – here is what Germany's new coalition agreement means for HR.
Researcher Czycholl: „Working from home is an important argument on the labour market"
A University of Oldenburg study shows: 40% of respondents would reject a job without remote work. What employers need to know to stay competitive in the war for talent.
Is working from home bad for productivity?
No. A meta-analysis of 110 studies covering 45,288 people shows: remote work boosts satisfaction, commitment and performance. It's about the „how", not the „whether".
LAG Cologne Ruling: Home-Office Revocation Needs Justification
Cologne Labor Court (6 Sa 579/23): Revoking a home-office agreement plus a 500 km relocation is invalid without overriding, objective employer interests.
Unusually High Sick Leave in Summer: Causes & Measures
DAK report 2023: summer sickness rate at 5.5%, respiratory illness +66%. Causes, business impact and concrete prevention measures for employers.
ifo Study: Home-Office Rate Stays Stable – 84% Keep It
According to the ifo Institute, 84% of companies want to keep their home-office policy unchanged. Only 4% plan to abolish it. The key numbers.
Office Space Shrinks: Companies Downsize Offices Due to Home Office
ifo study: Demand for office space drops 12 % – home office is reshaping the real-estate market. What companies should do now.
Zukunft Personal Europe 2024: A Glimpse Into Tomorrow's Workplace
From 10–12 September 2024, the HR world meets in Cologne. Key topics, highlights & why ZP Europe is a must-attend event.
From 1 January 2025: Home Office Becomes Telework – Beyond Your Own Home
Austria leads the way, Germany follows: what the new telework rules mean for employers, occupational safety and equipment.
BMAS Home Office Guidelines: 7 Steps for Hybrid Screen Work
The German Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (BMAS) publishes recommendations for hybrid screen work – focusing on cost coverage and risk assessment.
Conscious, healthy eating in the home office: 7 tips for your day
Healthy eating while working from home: 7 practical tips to enjoy a balanced diet, avoid cravings and stay fit at your home workplace.
5 home office benefits: how to promote equal treatment
Employee benefits for home office workers: how to ensure equal treatment for remote teams and boost retention, health and motivation.
Home office success: strategies for culture, onboarding & leadership
Successful remote work: practical strategies for corporate culture, virtual onboarding, digital leadership and team building at a distance.
The top 3 employee benefits for the home office
Modern employee benefits for the home office: tax-free perks in kind, digital meal allowance and internet flat rate – flexible and attractive.
Cozy & productive home office in autumn: 8 practical tips
8 practical tips for a cozy, productive home office in autumn – from lighting and routine to fresh air, breaks and ergonomic equipment.
Keeping a cool head in the home office: 5 tips for hot days
Heat in the home office? 5 practical tips on ventilation, hydration, work hours and clothing to stay productive even on hot summer days.
How ergonomic furniture supports your health in the home office
Ergonomic furniture in the home office: how chairs, desks and accessories prevent back pain, support posture and boost productivity.
Working from home with kids: 7 tips for parents
Work efficiently from home even with children around: 7 practical tips on daily planning, workspace, breaks and communicating with partner and family.
Tips Against Loneliness in the Home Office
The pandemic forced many people to work from home. Working remotely brings flexibility and savings — but also challenges. One of the biggest is loneliness.
New Work: The office as an experience
In recent years, the concept of working from home has become increasingly popular. However, it wasn’t always seen as a legitimate way of working. Before the pandemic, many people…
onyo x Lieferando for business: Benefits for employees
Providing food benefits to employees has become a popular trend for many companies, and for good reason. Not only do employees value these benefits, but they can also help…
Home office: An opportunity for the transport revolution
The pandemic has already permanently changed mobility. More and more people are working in their home offices, saving themselves the way to the office. The car seems to be losing…
Suddenly everyone’s interested in health
The dietary and exercise behaviour of many people has changed significantly in recent months, especially during the pandemic period with a home office. Working from home has…
Our tips: Fit and healthy in home office
Are you perhaps also one of those people who are often plagued by fatigue and listlessness in the home office? Today we would like to give you a few useful tips on how you can…
What home office rules apply now?
The cold and wet season doesn’t exactly make it easy for us to get out of bed early in the morning, get ready and drive to the office. How good it is to have the option of working…
Nearly one in four office workers is dissatisfied
Companies have so much to do when it comes to winning the competition for the best talent and to bind them to the company in the long term. Nearly one in four office employees is…
Companies disagree: home office or back to the office?
The big question on the table is: Should employees be allowed to continue working from their home offices or do they have to go back to the office? Many company leaders disagree…
New Work – more than just a short-term trend?
New Work is currently on everyone’s lips and is seen by many as the answer to the demands of the modern working world. It is hoped that this will lead to more flexibility, fewer…
New Work: Global myths about hybrid work
The world’s largest companies are taking different approaches when it comes to remote work. Some companies are closing offices completely, while others are trying to bring all…
Otto Group turns off radiators at the offices
The Otto Group (Bonprix, Hermes Fulfilment, OTTO and Otto Group Holding amongst others) has decided to lower the room temperatures in many of its office buildings to 15 degrees,…
Audi shapes the hybrid working world
The new “Hybrid Working” company agreement has been in force at Audi’s Ingolstadt and Neckarsulm sites since October 1. In the future, this will enable employees to freely choose…
How (un)productive are we in the home office?
As a leader, you must learn to trust your employees. According to Microsoft, this is very important to keep your employees even in uncertain times. It’s statistically proven that…
Home office: The main benefits for employees
Home office is becoming increasingly popular among employees and it is hard to imagine working without it. Today we would like to present the most important advantages of working…
Amazon CEO: No compulsion to work in the office
In an interview, Amazon CEO Andy Jassy said the company has no plans to force your employees to return to the office. “We have no plan to require people to come back,” Jassy…
No return to mandatory home office
If it were up to our Federal Minister of Labor, Mr. Heil, more employees should actually start working from home again in fall to protect themselves from an infection. However,…
Actively support employees in the home office
Do you want to ensure that your employees have the best conditions to work in a home office? Then it’s up to you to actively support your employees in creating a…
Maintaining the corporate culture in the home office
Many companies are currently facing the challenge of developing a functioning home office model for their employees, especially in view of the home office obligation that may be…
Hybrid work reduces fluctuation rate by one third
According to a new study (conducted by Nicholas Bloom, Stanford University, among others), the hybrid work arrangement reduced the turnover rate in a large technology company by a…
Will home office soon become mandatory again?
Have your employees been working from a home office for the majority of the last few months? If so, Mr. Habeck’s possible renewed plans to make home office work compulsory over…
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