The US economy added 156,000 jobs in September, a decline from 167,000 in August, according to the Labor Department. The unemployment rate edged up to 5% as the labor participation rate also increased.

Business experts say companies that want to create the best working environments to attract talent should offer holistic wellness benefits, perks that employees really want, mini-sabbaticals and flexible schedules. Cha Tekeli of Chalamode says well-rounded wellness programs could provide incentives to improve physical and emotional health, such as rewards for meditation, good sleeping habits, walking and eating well.

Psychological issues that arise because of work are commonplace, according to a poll by Business in the Community, but the problem is often not addressed directly by leaders, writes Frank Kalman. It is the responsibility of executives to erase the stigma of mental health, he argues.

Paying employees who take time off for elder care is a rare perk but could become more popular as baby boomers age and retire, writes Rebecca Greenfield. Employees talk about "the need to get to doctors, to make arrangements to interview care providers, and how difficult that was," says Vanguard HR chief Kathy Gubanich.

Despite the almost universal acknowledgement that annual performance review are ineffective, there is still fear about the alternatives, writes Peter Cappelli. It's important to acknowledge the fundamental changes to the employer-employee relationship when companies do away with annual reviews, he writes.

Spend up to 30 minutes per day thinking extensively about just one subject as a way to exercise your brain, advises Gretchen Rubin. Other ways to stimulate your brain and work on your social skills include talking on certain days without complaining or boasting and keeping others talking about themselves without allowing them to become self-conscious about it.