Vermont, Minnesota and New Jersey are among the best states for working mothers, providing the most access to child care, professional opportunities and work-life balance, according to WalletHub. Louisiana, Alabama and Nevada are ranked lowest because of large gender pay gaps and expensive child care.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff are reportedly revisiting reform ideas from the Force of the Future report, developed under former President Barack Obama, as they search for ways to address military recruiting and retention woes. Critics of the report say it offers solutions for problems that don't exist and suggest the military should focus on equipment and training problems rather than personnel issues.

A healthy workplace culture is key to engaging employees and reducing turnover, entrepreneurs said at The Globe and Mail Small Business Summit. Their tips for building a strong culture include leading by example and making employees part of the company mission.

Harvard Pilgrim Health Care has adopted a policy of unlimited vacation time for 1,000 of its workers, saying the goal is to increase employee flexibility, boost morale and help recruit talented staff. The Society for Human Resource Management found fewer than 2% of companies offer unlimited time off, but some corporations that have adopted the policy include Netflix, Best Buy and General Electric Co.

Be careful not to invent words or use them incorrectly when speaking with others in a meeting, writes Amy Elisa Jackson. In addition, avoid overly casual terms such as "bro" or "dude" while steering clear of overused terms such as "synergy," Jackson writes.