Major UK companies have offered "pitiful and patronizing" reasons so few women are on their boards, business minister Andrew Griffiths says. Griffiths' comment comes in response to a survey led by GlaxoSmithKline Chairman Philip Hampton, who has challenged firms in the FTSE 350 index to ensure women occupy at least one-third of board and leadership posts by 2020.

Developing effective managers and creating a positive work experience are key for keeping staff engaged, says Abbey Louie, founder of Elan Consulting Group. It's also critical to offer opportunities for advancement and allow employees to make real contributions to the business, experts say.

Walmart is offering to subsidize college tuition for employees through a partnership with Guild Education. Workers must study business or supply chain management at the University of Florida, Bellevue University or Brandman University and must contribute $1 daily to tuition.

Apps have been developed to help employees document and report sexual harassment, though Bravely founder Toby Hervey argues that better training and policies are also needed. "There's definitely a hunger for scalable ways to address this long-standing, pervasive social issue," according to a statement by the makers of Callisto, a reporting tool used at universities.

Netflix has a workplace culture that encourages employees to take risks and talk about their shortcomings, says Jessica Neal, the company's chief talent officer. The company frequently circulates memos to keep staff informed and promote collaboration.