New white paper 'Energized by Design' reveals how social connection will power the next era of work

DALLAS, Jan. 14, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Sunny, a purpose-over-profit organization providing science-backed solutions for meaningful connection, has launched Sunny Workplace™ to reignite team connection and vibrancy from the inside out and combat "the great disconnection" experienced by today's workers.

Sunny's newly published "Energized by Design" white paper surfaces research showing that teams lacking interpersonal connection in the workplace are two times more likely to lose talent and three times more likely to underperform on innovation, indicating that connection provides the new competitive edge as work transforms. The paper offers a practical framework for restoring connection as a core operating system, embedded into existing workplace technologies and through the Sunny Workplace™ platform.

Sunny Workplace™ supports organizations with science-backed tools that enable teams to stay energized and effective by tapping into relational energy, the motivational spark people draw from meaningful connection.

The platform delivers connection through:

• Social Architecture: Provides a research-backed framework to redesign how teams connect, collaborate and recharge
• Social Battery™ Type Assessment: Helps team members understand how their personality, capacity and collaboration style shape their social energy
• Social Battery™ Energy Tracking: Alerts management when team members' social batteries are low and provides tips for support 
• Manager Toolkits and Connect Guides: Offers ready-to-use conversational frameworks for team meetings and 1:1s
• Scalable team rituals and sessions: Fuels connection across onboarding, hybrid collaboration and leadership development

"As AI, hybrid work and multigenerational teams reshape how people work, the informal touchpoints where relationships once formed have eroded. The result is a growing disconnection crisis that drags on performance and retention," said Betsy Parker, Sunny CEO. "Sunny Workplace™ is designed to rebuild those social ties intentionally, within the flow of everyday work."

According to research, disconnection is draining businesses financially and emotionally. At an average 1,000-person company, disconnection costs up to $5.04 million annually due to loss in productivity, turnover and lack of innovation. Nationally, 41% of people in the U.S. feel lonely at least sometimes. Gen Z workers are hit hardest: 45% report feeling lonely at work, the highest rate among all generations.

"Connection isn't just a nice-to-have anymore. It's the infrastructure that fuels engagement, trust and performance," said Sunny Head of Behavioral Science Iain Smith, Ph.D. "Our research shows that when organizations prioritize connection as deliberately as they prioritize technology, they unlock measurable gains in retention, innovation and employee well-being."

Organizations interested in learning more can request a demo at https://gosunny.org/workplace/book-a-demo/. To download Sunny's "Energized by Design" white paper, visit https://gosunny.org/white-paper-energized-by-design/.

About Sunny
In a world that's more digital, yet lonelier than ever, Sunny provides science-backed solutions to help people improve their social lives and fuel meaningful connection. Its Sunny Workplace™ platform, built into the flow of work, reignites team connection and vibrancy from the inside out. Sunny's free app for consumers tracks and boosts Social Battery™ while offering simple steps to connect. Sunny's purpose-over-profit model means it reinvests every dollar into expanding its reach and impact. For more information, visit gosunny.org or follow on Instagram and LinkedIn at @gosunnyorg and TikTok and Facebook @gosunny.org.

Media Contact:
Juliana Mitchell
juliana@spmcommunications.com
817-329-3257

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SOURCE Sunny