Hotels under pressure to protect employees from sexual harassment and other abuse from guests have installed panic buttons for emergency alerts. Workers in New York City and Seattle have such devices, and the Chicago City Council has mandated implementation by summer.

Hiring freelancers can help small businesses handle tasks such as graphic design and social media marketing while potentially saving on overhead costs, writes Natalie Gagliordi, who discusses three popular freelancer marketplaces.

Worldwide real wage growth -- the increase in salary minus inflation -- is expected to be just 1.5% on average in 2018, the smallest rise in the past five years, according to Korn Ferry. US workers are predicted to see a 1% increase in real pay, while employees in China could see a boost of 4.2%.

Use employee-engagement survey data to create a plan for change by combining the information with other employee, performance and management data and determining what's causing engagement problems, writes Ian Cook. Be able to tell a story to executives that illustrates how your changes would improve the value of the business.

The World Health Organization estimates poor mental health costs the global economy $1 trillion a year, so it's necessary employers create a culture where people feel as uninhibited to discuss mental health as they do physical health, writes Jennifer V. Miller. Listen to people and thank them for confiding, she writes, but avoid giving advice or pep talks.