The leading causes of workplace injuries -- overexertion, slips, trips and falls -- also lead to the highest claim costs, with first-year employees particularly vulnerable, making up 35% of all claims, according to the Travelers' Injury Impact Report. Missed work days due to injury increased by one day to 72 days, with the construction and transportation industries logging the highest average number of lost workdays per injury.

Child care is a key issue, a Goldman Sachs survey of small-business owners suggests. Gene Marks, founder of small-business consultancy the Marks Group, notes that the federal government may not take action in this area but that small-business owners can. "We can attract better talent when we help our people tackle the challenges they face both in their professional and personal lives, and a big part of that in many people's lives is some sort of dependent care," says Nicole Schaeffer, chief people strategy officer of biotech company Insmed.

In-house counselors and employee assistance programs both offer options to address staff mental health concerns, but they may differ in accessibility, effectiveness and structure. Choosing between the two often comes down to organizational size, culture and particular staff needs.

Smoothing the way for workers to embrace AI involves not only training but breaking down overall resistance to change, experts say. "Give people the space to experiment with AI -- even if it's going to slow them down in the short term," says Rebecca Hinds, head of Asana's Work Innovation Lab.

Cal Newport, author of the book, "Slow Productivity," addresses the pervasive issue of pseudo-productivity in modern workplaces, exacerbated by frequent virtual meetings and continuous email exchanges. Newport suggests that knowledge workers should focus on fewer tasks with greater depth and quality, highlighting historical figures like Maya Angelou and Richard Feynman, who avoided distractions to produce significant work.