Seventy-three percent of Americans are worried about the health risks of returning to workplaces and 75% would think about leaving their job if their employer's safety efforts during the pandemic were insufficient, according to the Envoy Return to Work Survey. In addition, 90% miss the workplace and 94% want to be in the office for at least one day per week.

Employers should intervene to help stressed-out employees before their situation warrants a leave of absence, HR expert Suzanne Lucas writes. Lucas offers four suggestions, from manager training to employee assistance programs, and explains how to navigate a leave of absence if it can't be avoided.

Some local governments tax unincorporated businesses on income allocated to the city, which means the tax doesn't apply to employees living outside the city. Nishant Mittal of Topia, which specializes in managing distributed workers, says the tax savings is worthwhile even though it's likely to trigger an audit.

Researchers found that giving employees blue-light glasses and asking them to wear them for two hours before going to sleep improved both workers' sleep and their performance on the job. "As sleep and circadian science continues to advance, there will likely be more avenues to apply sleep health interventions that result in beneficial work outcomes," writes study author Christopher Barnes, professor of management at the University of Washington.

"Wicked" problems such as the pandemic affect larger society, are unpredictable and require leaders who can clearly see the root problem, are willing to think through alternative solutions and are quick to pivot, write INSEAD professors Natalia Karelaia and Ludo Van der Heyden, citing their research. "The ability to hold oneself responsible in front of people, particularly in defeat, is the hallmark of great leaders," they write.