Google CEO Sundar Pichai says the company is investigating the departure of Timnit Gebru, a Black artificial-intelligence researcher whose dismissal after her criticism of Google's treatment of people of color was condemned by employees and industry peers. The controversy comes on the heels of the company being accused by the National Labor Relations Board of breaking labor laws in its treatment of activist employees.

Jobs are scarce for 2020 college graduates who don't have the full-time experience many employers are seeking, and the problem may have a generational effect, some experts say. Recruitment has stalled, job offers have been rescinded and financial independence is at risk for many, leading some recent grads to consider graduate school, even if it means incurring more debt.

Short surveys can provide valuable data about employees during the pandemic, particularly around engagement, HR experts say. Employers need to take action from survey results if the organizations want to maintain credibility, and companies also should not assume areas of negative responses are high priority.

Learning and development will continue to evolve in 2021 as companies learn from the pandemic, with technology being the top priority, says NovoEd Chief Learning Strategist Todd Moran. "Enterprises are looking for learning solutions that deliver on engagement and impact for their high-value capability building" while also fostering community rather than isolation, he says.

How leaders address a crisis and lead through it can affect customers' and employees' perceptions, even after the issue is resolved, Edward Segal writes. Segal offers examples of effective leadership, including NBA CEO Adam Silver and Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson, who successfully mitigated fallout and demonstrated how to respond as pandemic-related problems unfolded.