Following their victory in California to continue classifying workers as contractors, companies including Uber, Lyft and DoorDash are now turning their attention to other states. Lyft President John Zimmer said the win "is an important turning point for this conversation," and DoorDash CEO Tony Xu stated, "Now, we're looking ahead and across the country, ready to champion new benefits structures."

Zoom employees are the happiest in America for the second consecutive year, followed by employees of HubSpot and Microsoft, per anonymous worker responses gathered by Comparably. "Our leaders lead by example," one Zoom employee wrote on Comparably.

Fifty-three percent of surveyed adults in the US report that pandemic-related stress is placing a strain on their mental health, resulting in lost workdays and increased health costs. Employers can enhance their benefit programs with digital mental health services during the open enrollment period.

Less than one-third of companies will increase HR technology budgets in 2021, down 12 percentage points from a year ago, according to the Sierra-Cedar/Sapient Insights HR Systems Survey. The percentage of companies planning spending reductions next year nearly quadrupled.

Some people are feeling fatigued and their mental health is being challenged by the COVID-19 pandemic. Talking to a therapist or trusted confidant, journaling, getting out into nature and intentional breathing can bring relief and promote happiness, says licensed clinical social worker Jamie Frost.