US Surgeon General Jerome Adams expects coronavirus deaths to increase this week, with the impact felt nationwide. "This is going to be our Pearl Harbor moment, our 9/11 moment, only it's not going to be localized," he says.

Instant communication tools, such as Slack and Microsoft Teams, can work against employers during times of crisis, creating distraction and serving as funnels for misinformation, writes Mike Hicks, chief marketing officer at Igloo Software. Hicks suggests that corporate intranets, emails and blogs are better ways to govern information and convey important messages to employees.

Employers are putting more emphasis on providing benefits for employees who are caregivers at home, whether for children or elderly parents. Bright Horizons expanded eldercare benefits last year after seeing substantial challenges in caring for older adults, and Voya Financial's Wellthy service helps workers with day-to-day caregiving administrative tasks.

Vulnerable leaders who admit they don't have all the answers can build trust with employees, which can lead to more productive discourse, writes Jerome Parisse-Brassens, executive director for Walking the Talk. "HR business partners need to coach the managers and leaders they work with to become more open, to let go of their fears, and to reflect on the need to show some vulnerability," he writes.