The concept of a four-day workweek is gaining popularity, with businesses looking to maintain productivity while giving workers an extra day off. Some companies are experimenting with fewer meetings to increase flexibility.

Companies looking to head off employee turnover should hold stay interviews at regular intervals throughout a worker's tenure, writes Steffen Buch of Beamery. Rather than asking vague questions about culture, managers should focus on specific inquiries that relate to an employee's personal experience.

More employers are choosing the government's Medicare Advantage program to replace their former retiree health plans and traditional Medicare insurance. Some experts say the move can save money because the employer's share of coverage costs is reduced, but drawbacks arise for some patients when their existing providers are not included in the new plan or the insurer imposes new fees or other requirements.

The new work environment requires a different approach that can be developed using the concept of "(4+3) Ws": work, workforce, workplace and worth plus work experience design, worktech and the worker employment journey, write Anna Tavis and Stela Lupushor. They discuss each of these concepts and encourage leaders to "discover how they operate and create value."

Mindfulness and meditation's benefits aren't universally good, as a study that asked participants to meditate after feeling guilty about an infraction found that subjects became less generous to those they had wronged. The path forward might be in the details, as techniques such as "loving-kindness meditation" had a more positive effect on people who had done something wrong.

Nothing really prepares you for the empty nest phase of life. (And don’t believe the books. They’re useless -- just like the ones you read when you were getting ready to have the baby.) Even when you see it coming, you don’t know how it’s going to feel or function when it finally happens.

Initially, when the kids moved out, I was glad to have more free time for myself. I could go out with friends, tackle some projects and have more flexibility in my schedule. It was great.

But after a few weeks, I realized that I wasn’t hearing from my kids often. We talked about every other week and would have dinner together on the odd Sunday, but otherwise, it was crickets. This jolted me. Didn’t they miss me? Didn’t they want to spend time with me?

So I picked up the phone and called my oldest -- Kiaha. We exchanged small talk for a few minutes, but he could tell I had something on my mind.

“Mom, you good?” he asked.

I had to be honest. I felt silly doing it, but the kids and I have an ironclad agreement of honesty.

“Yes, son, I am. But I did have a question for you,” I said. I took a deep breath and spit it out. “You and Lalas have been gone for some time now and it occurs to me that I don’t see you guys or hear from you a lot. You both spend a lot of time with your in-laws -- which I’m cool with! Totally. But did I do something wrong? Is there something I need to know about me?”

The moment felt so awkward. I was sure I sounded childish and needy, but Kiaha knew I was being honest and not trying to manipulate him and his sister. He also knew just how to respond.

“Gosh, Mom, no. I mean, you’re not perfect, but you didn’t do anything wrong to push us away. You’re not toxic, if that’s what you’re worried about. You’re not *that* mom,” he responded. He went on to say that the lack of time with me wasn’t intentional. He was pretty sure his sister would agree. Everyone was busy.

“Including you, Mom,” he said. “You’re busy too, with work and travel. But all we have to do is just make time. Now that we know, we’ll make time to hang out.” And we did.

Today’s story about stay interviews reminded me of that conversation with Kiaha. I wish I’d had that conversation with him and Kawai while they were still living with me. I think it would have helped all of us better adjust to the changes in our lives and the new dynamic in our relationships with each other.

I plan to do stay interviews with my team members. Do you do these already? Let me know! And if you enjoy this brief, tell others so they can benefit also.