Microsoft allowed some of its data center employees who had to work on-site during the pandemic to sleep in the data centers to avoid getting caught in roadblocks during their commute. For employees who were uneasy about riding the bus, the company provided transportation, and for those who were uncomfortable about being on-site, they were allowed to work remotely.

Video can help companies improve at every stage of the employee life cycle, starting with attracting candidates, continuing through training and information-sharing, and ending by capturing institutional knowledge upon departure, writes Andrew Davies.

Amazon plans to offer mental wellness benefits such as free counseling, interactive self-care, stress resources, and crisis support services to its US staff members and their families. One-on-one counseling sessions can be in person or by phone, video or text message.

Strong-performing HR teams are a leading influence on employee experience and productivity, while also contributing to revenue growth, profitability and innovation, writes Josh Bersin. Companies need to invest in "training, upskilling, and providing job rotation, mentorship, and alignment programs for every single HR professional," Bersin writes.

Professional development can go a long way to keeping workers engaged and enthusiastic about their jobs. I make a point of attending education and journalism events throughout the year. Those don’t just help me stay updated on what’s happening in the markets I serve; they help me feel connected to readers’ needs.

Don’t miss today’s Leadership & Development story about investing in worker skills. What are you doing to encourage workers to dive into training? Let me know! And send this link to anyone who could benefit from receiving this brief.