Mind Share Partners and Qualtrics saw shifts in perspectives on workplace mental health over the course of administering the Mental Health at Work Report, conducted in 2019, 2021 and 2023, concluding that business has made strides in acknowledging mental health and that ultimately employees want "mentally healthy cultures." The five strategies emerging from the most recent report include prioritizing comprehensive culture change, paying attention to root causes rather than focusing on quicker fixes such as meditation apps and sustaining a commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion programs.

Unanet's successful Encore returnship program recruits women who have been out of work for an extended period and retrains them so they can rejoin the workforce at Unanet or another company, says Stacy Critzer, the company's chief HR officer. "Aligning with local women's centers, women-in-technology organizations, veterans' resource groups and the like has helped generate broad awareness of and interest in Encore," says Critzer, who recommends companies determine the skills they want to develop before starting a similar program.

A survey report from the Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies found that many older Americans have not anticipated certain aspects of retirement, including important financial and emotional considerations. A slide show illustrates nine ways Americans have been surprised by life after work, including fewer fears than they anticipated, the often unexpected timing of their retirements and the rarity of partial retirement strategies.

Leaders should use the "boss card" sparingly and focus on asking more questions before drawing conclusions, says Jeffrey Schmitz, chief people officer for Zebra Technologies. "There are times when, as the leader, you need to make a decision, but it's always better that you've vetted that out with the team, so that you fully understand the pros and cons," says Schmitz, who also advises leaders to refrain from micromanagement.

The Gallaudet University Bisons debuted a 5G-connected augmented reality football helmet this weekend that enables coaches to transmit plays to players on an AR screen. The NCAA allowed the new helmet, developed by AT&T, to be used on a trial basis by the quarterback in the team's season opener against Hilbert College.