The holiday season is a common time for career reflection and potential job changes, career expert Jack Kelly writes. Kelly advises individuals to engage in self-reflection to understand motivations, assess skills against potential roles and consider "bridge jobs" for financial stability, while emphasizing the importance of proactive steps such as updating resumes, networking and maintaining mental and physical health during the search.

Leaders can escape career doldrums by building relationships, finding purpose and being authentic with employees, writes LaRae Quy, a former FBI undercover and counterintelligence agent. "Leaders can significantly improve their lives by focusing on self-awareness, developing meaningful relationships and committing to a life of value and purpose," Quy writes.

Leaders spend a lot of energy on their responsibilities in decision-making, praising others and offering direction, but that energy is rarely reflected back to them, writes Tugba Yanaz, a leadership coach and founder of LEAD + VISION, which is why it's imperative for leaders to "fill their own cup." Yanaz suggests that leaders write supportive sentences to themselves each morning and take those words to heart as a way to build resilience and set a compassionate tone for the company.

Job satisfaction among American workers has significantly declined, with only 18% feeling extremely satisfied with their jobs, down from 26% pre-pandemic, according to Gallup report "The Great Detachment." This drop is linked to unclear job expectations, increased responsibilities due to workplace disruptions, and a mismatch between employee expectations and employer offerings.

Supporting employees during the transition to a new attendance policy involves providing a reasonable grace period for adaptation and ensuring clear communication of changes. By explaining how poor attendance affects business growth and employee impact, companies can foster a sense of alignment and engagement.

Company holiday parties are seeing a decline in attendance, with 64% of workers opting out, according to a Visier survey. Workers cited a preference for keeping personal and professional lives separate, increased holiday stress and a lack of connection with coworkers due to remote work as reasons for passing on a holiday party, and 69% said they'd prefer a bonus over a party.

Do you ever wonder how IKEA comes up with all its interesting product names? Well, it turns out the company names many of its products after places in Sweden. That naming convention inspired Kevin Lynch, an advertising copywriter from Chicago, to embark on a unique road trip across Sweden to explore the locations that lend themselves to IKEA product names. The journey took him to various destinations, where he often surprised locals when he informed them about the connection between their towns and IKEA products.