Of the four types of managers -- teachers, cheerleaders, always on, connectors -- connectors are the bosses who boost performance the most, according to a survey from Gartner. The "always on" managers have a negative impact, but connectors but reach across a team or company to find the workers with the best skills for a project, writes Deborah Barrington.

Many employers are offering flexible work schedules in an effort to attract and retain employees, and surveys have shown that flexible schedules can boost productivity, but early adopters of flex time say guidelines and formal policies are needed.

Monster's recent study shows recruiters are having trouble finding candidates with required skills and have turned to upskilling in the workplace to overcome generational gaps. "Upskilling is critical to not only retain top talent, but also to attract qualified candidates from competitors," says Monster CEO Scott Gutz.

Seventy-five percent of workers in the US leave their jobs within five years, according to a study by iHire, driven by dissatisfaction with pay, low opportunity for growth or advancement, and a negative work environment. Respondents said a raise or bonus, better benefits and a better work-life balance would encourage them to stay.

Compelling public speakers vary the cadence and speed of their presentation to keep the audience engaged. "If there's a part in your presentation or speech where it makes sense to rattle off a series of words or sentences -- perhaps a section in which you need to run through a list of details -- try speeding it up. Then, slow it down as you approach your main point," writes Carmine Gallo.

Modern executives are striving to create meaningful experiences for their employees, writes Liz Stone Brewster of The Elliot Group. Best practices include identifying culture champions, creating a vision and action plan, maintaining transparency and celebrating achievements.

Google unveiled a host of apps designed to help people curb their device usage/addiction. The "digital wellbeing experiments" include some that you undertake on your own and others you conduct with friends and family.

Researchers believe they might have identified a genetic mutation in a father and son that enables the two men to sleep just four to six hours per day and still perform as well or better than average on memory tests. The researchers involved in the study focused on the mechanisms of healthy sleep, but others wonder if the discovery of the mutation could lead to the development of a pill or treatment that mirrors the ability of the two men.