Two in five office employees say they regularly work extra hours, and many feel pressured to put in the time because of their workload, according to a Slack report based on a Qualtrics survey of employees in the US, UK and several other countries. "Constantly feeling like you need to catch up is hurting employees and businesses," says Christina Janzer, head of Slack's Workforce Lab.

Leadership is often more effective when it focuses on motivating employees instead of telling them what to do, supporting them when they make their own decisions and establishing a clear vision, writes Frank Martela, an assistant professor at Aalto University. "While minimalist leadership may feel counterintuitive and uncomfortable, those who dare to practice it will gain an edge in industries requiring engaged and innovative employees," Martela writes.

Finding meaning in adversity or suffering can help develop "post-traumatic growth," which, combined with a growth mindset, can lead to healing and a new sense of purpose and connection to others, writes LaRae Quy. Embracing spiritual practices such as meditation, mindfulness or yoga and finding a supportive community can also transform trauma into strength, Quy notes.

Executives from companies including Macy's and PepsiCo share some cherished advice from their mentors on topics including the importance of building relationships and collaboration among departments, putting business partners first and taking the time to listen. Allison Auclair, group vice president of product management for Oracle NetSuite, says her mentor advised she always ask clients "What keeps you up at night?" and then produce customer-centric solutions to create "a whole new level of understanding about customer problems."

Adobe, Instacart, Boston Consulting Group, Toast and Uber are the top five companies for culture this year, according to a Comparably ranking, based on almost 20 million employee ratings across more than 70,000 businesses. Chad Herring, CHRO of Comparably's parent company ZoomInfo, says the top-rated employers "are transparent about their business decisions, value their employees, and remain committed to their mission, vision and values."

As part of Target's hybrid work model, the retailer in 2024 will be asking Minneapolis-based corporate employees to come to global headquarters during "core weeks" in March, May, September and November to mark various events and milestones, while employees outside the area may choose whether to attend in person. About 35% of the Minneapolis workforce comes into the office at least once a week, and the new program aims to "drive connectedness, celebrate our team and build our internal culture," says spokesperson Brian Harper-Tibaldo.

Molson Coors' Miller High Life brand was originally coined "The Champagne of Bottle Beer" when it rolled out 120 years ago due to being released the day before New Year's Eve, its high level of carbonation and packaging that resembled champagne bottles, said Daniel Scholzen, Molson Coors corporate archivist, adding demand for the beer was so high after WWII, people began smuggling the beer out of Wisconsin.

In recognition of the holidays, SmartBrief will not publish Dec. 25 through Jan. 1.