At the beginning of the pandemic, keeping cameras on during videoconferencing was seen as a way to stay connected. Now, making cameras optional might make sense for the sake of employees' mental health and to limit distractions and boost productivity.

Top leaders make themselves "students of people" by listening, asking questions, working to create conditions that allow teams to succeed and seeking to understand what's important to others, writes Alan Patterson of Ladderburners. "Great leaders influence how people think and feel to the point that they take responsible and decisive action," Patterson writes.

Leaders can improve their persuasive communication skills by paying attention to nonverbal cues such as body language and eye contact as well as verbal techniques such as the use of stories and expression of emotions, writes clinical psychotherapist Padraic Gibson. "Understanding the belief and value system of others and adapting to their unique communication style and form are essential elements of a strategic approach to life," Gibson writes.

Some companies are sending remote employees on retreats or vacations together to help people get acquainted with each other. "There are so many things we want to build in to create opportunities for people who have literally never met each other in person," says Kim Harris, chief people officer of Poll Everywhere, which will have a retreat in October.

Survey results from 2,010 participants, presented at the SLEEP 2022 conference, indicated that 75% of men said they lost sleep due to late hours spent playing video games, and 62% lost sleep after staying awake to consume alcohol at night. Dr. Imran Shaikh of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine's Public Awareness Advisory Committee, noted that it's important to limit screen time before bed and get at least seven hours of sleep per night to promote good health.

Jumbo Kingdom, a floating restaurant and major tourist attraction in Hong Kong, has capsized in the South China Sea after recently being towed to a new location. The restaurant had suspended operations in 2020 during the early stages of the coronavirus pandemic, but just last week it was towed out of Hong Kong to await a new operator. Earlier this month, the kitchen boat reported a hull breach, but it's also important to note the adverse weather the vessel had faced during its transit.