One-on-ones with your direct reports can be more effective if you prepare, let them define what success looks like and talk about the future in terms of what's working and what may need to change to help them move forward, writes Dan Rockwell. "Poorly planned one-on-ones squander time," Rockwell writes.

Make your next presentation accessible to audience members with disabilities by using accessibility templates, creating slide titles and a reading order and avoiding colors that some may not perceive, writes Amy Boone. "Many presentation media programs have built-in templates and checkers," Boone notes.

Creating a culture that allows employees to learn new skills will help companies maintain a competitive edge and reduce the amount of hiring that will be needed, writes Raghu Krishnaiah, chief operating officer at University of Phoenix. "Any CEO who balks at the cost of implementing upskilling programs should pause to consider the cost of standing still in today's business environment," Krishnaiah writes.

Employers often mistake the start of school for the end of working parents' child care challenges, which gives a recruiting and retention advantage to companies that offer child care as a benefit, writes Jessica Chang, CEO of child care network WeeCare. In addition, job listings and company websites should tout care benefits so organizations and workers can reap the rewards, Chang notes.

Initial unemployment claims reached a seasonally adjusted 213,000 last week, up from 208,000 the week before, according to Labor Department statistics. Some signs of strength have been seen in the US labor market in recent weeks, including 315,000 jobs added by employers in August, and labor participation rates trending upward.

A recent Harvard University study found that people believed others led meaningful lives if what they chose to do brought them joy, even if the actions themselves seemed senseless. "Although we should strive to lead a life that both makes us happy and creates positive impact, each on its own still helps toward making your life seem more meaningful," says Harvard Business School assistant professor Julian De Freitas.

Modern cat lovers have videos of cats stealing food, but our 1600s and 1700s forebears had oil paintings depicting the furry scamps making off with fish, oysters, sausages and other delights. Molly Hodgdon's Cats of Yore Twitter account curates these still life paintings, "celebrating the need for snacks triumphing over art."