In a stance against smoking and nicotine use, U-Haul announced it will no longer hire nicotine users, effective Feb. 1. This policy will be lawfully enacted in the 21 states without smoker protection laws, and employees hired before that date will not be affected by the new policy.

Resilience and a tolerance for ambiguity are characteristics valued at startups, but they can be challenging to assess in an interview, writes Jessica Powell, a former vice president at Google. She suggests questions that can create a more well-rounded picture of the candidate, such as "If you weren't in your job, what would you be doing?"

Technology can be used to motivate employees through improved collaboration, better performance tracking and faster feedback, writes health and wellness expert Nick Toadvine. Improving mobility and accessibility options can also be a tech perk much appreciated by employees.

Automation is a threat to many workers, but it may improve employee relations and reduce workplace discrimination, based on a recent study of robot workforces. Researchers found that individuals were more likely to align themselves with individuals of other races when robot workers were included in the labor pool than when no robots were present.

Hospices are finding that virtual reality technology works well as a complementary therapy for patients at the end of life. Hospice staff say VR can help complete a patient's "bucket list," and one woman was able to experience riding a horse, something she had never done before.