The US Office of Special Counsel reportedly is looking into assertions that Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt fired or reassigned at least six employees who questioned his spending practices and his demand for 24-hour security.

Employees with a disagreeable disposition can still contribute to a team, sometimes more so than agreeable staffers, who might be averse to necessary conflict, organizational psychologist Adam Grant says. Disagreeable workers are more inclined to challenge the status quo and to push for difficult change, Grant says.

Online coaching platforms let managers address performance problems and tailor training to individual needs or let top performers learn advanced skills, HireNami CEO Sean Gordon writes. Platforms offer anytime, anywhere learning and can customize content to departments or work groups.

Some employers that sponsor high-deductible health insurance plans for employees are reconsidering as more employees struggle with medical debt, and JPMorgan Chase and CVS Health are among those reducing deductibles or covering more care.

Business transformation requires strategy, execution and attention to how employees feel about the change, writes Tony Schwartz, CEO of The Energy Project. "Ultimately, personal transformation requires the courage to challenge one's current comfort zone, and to tolerate that discomfort without overreacting," he writes.