Human Resources: Upcoming Programs	Print Issue
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Professional and Personal Development

Improve your skills and get ahead in your career by taking advantage of the many development opportunities provided by Human Resources. You can register for programs by visiting knowledgelink.upenn.edu or contacting Learning and Education at (215) 898-3400.

Webinar: Managing and Organizing Your Email Inbox Using Microsoft Outlook; 6/2; 12:30-2 p.m.; $40. This webinar is for Microsoft Outlook users who want to learn new and innovative techniques for better managing and organizing their inbox and overcoming email overload. Registration closes May 28.

Managing Student Employees Effectively; 6/2; 9 a.m.-noon; $75. Student workers are first and foremost students, and their primary focus is their education. On-campus jobs serve as extracurricular activities that help students earn supplemental income and more importantly build skills to prepare them for their professional careers. Given this, student employees present different needs than traditional staff members. Managers must respond and manage these differences effectively to ensure productivity. This three-hour program will provide attendees with resources that can be used to better meet the needs of hiring and managing student employees.  

Extended Brown Bag: Lessons Learned: Tools and Techniques for Reflection; 6/5; 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Work environments can be so fast paced—finishing one project and moving right on to the next. This pace prevents us from taking time to reflect on what just happened to determine what did and did not work well. In this program, participants will learn tools and techniques they can use for reflection in order to be more effective in the future. This is part one in a series of two on mindfulness in the workplace. Participants are invited to reflect on their past experiences in order to inform their future decisions. Attendance at both sessions (6/5 & 6/19) is not required, but is encouraged.

AMA’s Tools and Techniques for Mastering Data; 6/9 and 6/10; 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; $75 (for the two-day program). This seminar goes beyond the qualitative side of data analysis to explore proven quantitative tools and methods for analyzing, interpreting and utilizing data so that more informed and reliable business decisions can be made. Take this course to solve the problem of how to productively handle spreadsheets, reports and information that pile up in your inbox every day–and lose the angst that goes with it.

Extended Brown Bag: Lessons Learned: Team Building for Success; 6/19; 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Being a team player is a complex skill and one that’s increasingly important for all of us in today’s work world. During this session you will have the opportunity to reflect upon the challenges of being a team player; assess your collaboration skills; examine ways that you can promote teamwork; practice team facilitation and identify and commit to teamwork strategies you will apply on-the-job. (See 6/5 above.)

Career Focus Brown Bag: Building a Great Resume; 6/25; noon-1 p.m. In this competitive job market, it’s critical that your resume stands out in the crowd. Your resume represents your professional accomplishments and career experience. Join us for this workshop to learn tips on how to take your resume from good to great. Learn how to organize information, highlight important details and describe your role in a way that markets you for future opportunities.

Essentials of Customer Services; 6/30; 9 a.m. -5 p.m.; $75. Participants will learn how to make every customer feel important, how to avoid the mistakes that cause most customer conflicts, how to handle angry customers with diplomacy and tact, how to keep from being intimidated by rude, abrasive customers and how to turn unhappy customers into repeat customers.

Political Savvy; 7/8; noon-1 p.m. Like athletic ability, political savvy seems to come naturally to some people, while others have to learn it. To be successful in today’s workplace, you need to possess talent, work hard and perform well in your role. But you also need to be politically savvy to obtain resources for your work initiatives and to get others to do things that need to be done. People who understand and use office politics to their advantage are much more likely to succeed than their politically naïve counterparts. Join us to discuss what politically savviness really is and ways to be authentic and ethical while being politically savvy.

AMA’s Managing Chaos: Tools to Set Priorities and Make Decisions Under Pressure; 7/30 and 7/31; 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; $75 (for the two-day program). Learn how to manage more effectively in a constantly changing environment and how to transform unproductive confusion and disorder into controllable challenges. This seminar equips you with fast, effective tools to plan your day and adjust to shifting priorities and demands—with less stress and greater clarity. You’ll leave knowing how to apply the appropriate techniques to alleviate, clarify and eliminate chaos within your control.

7 Habits of Highly Effective People; 8/6; 9 a.m.-noon; $75. Learn principles that enable you to achieve greater success. Effectively manage your choices and your time. Think abundantly, listen openly and solve problems collaboratively. Build productive business relationships. Apply effective interpersonal communication.

Advanced Negotiations: Tactics and Strategies; 8/18; 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; $75. Negotiations are never static. Anyone who negotiates must have tools that go beyond understanding the basic principles and techniques of negotiating to include tactics and strategies for tough negotiations. This course is designed to provide new ideas and tools for greater success. The end result is a team of talented negotiators who can tackle the toughest negotiations with confidence and enthusiasm.

Building Positive Assertiveness Skills; 8/19; noon-1 p.m. Many people think that to get what they want out of life, they have to be aggressive. Others feel that if they just wait around patiently, good things will come to them. Well, they are both wrong! Passive people who don’t vocalize their needs rarely get what they want, and aggressive people look like big bullies and people steer clear of them. Being assertive is the sweet spot that falls right in the middle between being passive and being aggressive. Assertive people can express their desires while respecting the needs of others and they stand a much better chance of getting what they want and deserve. Join us as we explore ways to build positive assertiveness skills.

Quality of Worklife Workshops

Dealing with the demands of work and your personal life can be challenging. These free workshops, sponsored by Human Resources and led by experts from Penn’s Employee Assistance Program and Quality of Worklife Department, offer information and support for your personal and professional life challenges.  For details on these and other course offerings and to register, visit www.hr.upenn.edu/myhr/registration or contact Human Resources at (215) 573-2471 or qowl@hr.upenn.edu

Greening Your Home and Workspace; 6/8; noon-1 p.m. Most people spend most of their day either in their home in their office. That means you should try to make sure your house and workplace are healthy and hazard-free. Find out how to make your home and office a safer and healthier place. You’ll discover how to avoid injuries and reduce triggers for certain illnesses like asthma and allergies. You’ll also get hands-on practice creating safe, eco-friendly cleaning products and recipes for making all-purpose cleaners and air fresheners. This workshop will be led by Ashlee Halbritter, health educator for Campus Health, part of Penn Student Health Service.

Webinar: Tips to Organize Your Life and Find Balance; 6/10; 1-2 p.m. In this webinar provided by the Employee Assistance Program (EAP), we will discuss techniques to keep one’s work day organized, leading to increased productivity. The class will focus primarily on techniques for paper management, including filing systems, and for time and task management, including how to use calendars and to-do lists.

Budgeting Basics; 6/15; 12:30-1:30 p.m. A good budget can make all the difference in your financial success. In this workshop provided by TIAA-CREF, we will discuss why budgeting matters, how to make one that works for you and how to stick to it.

Webinar: The Three Nevers of Parenting; 6/16; noon-1 p.m. No matter how hard we try, each of us as parents inevitably makes mistakes. Some mistakes are easy to overcome, while other mistakes, repeated over time, can have significant and long-lasting implications. This course focuses on three common mistakes parents make and helps you understand why these three are the ones you don’t want to repeat.

Building Resilience: Strategies for Home and Work; 6/22; noon-1 p.m. What is resilience training? There is no magic formula that automatically produces resilience in individuals. It is the process of identifying professional and personal challenges, putting boundaries around their impact and developing strategies to resolve or control those problems in the future. This workshop will provide an overview of resilience techniques, including emotion regulation, impulse control, causal analysis, realistic optimism and reaching out, among others, and offer participants daily resilience strategies and activities to integrate at home and at work.

New and Expectant Parent Briefing; 6/24; noon-1 p.m. This is an introductory resource briefing designed for expectant parents and those who are new to parenting or child care. Participants will learn about local and University childcare and parenting resources including breastfeeding support and the nursing mothers program, childcare locators, back-up care, adjusting to new schedules and flexible work options, among other topics. Participants will also have the opportunity to network with other expectant and new parents.

Webinar: Survival Skills for the Single Parent; 7/9; 1-2 p.m. In this webinar, provided by Penn’s Employee Assistance Program (EAP), we will offer a basic discussion of the difficulties of raising children alone. Techniques for caring for your children’s needs while still having time for you and your needs will be covered. We will discuss how to enjoy life even if it has become different than you had expected.

Managing Up; 7/15; 12:30-1:30 p.m. Having a positive and productive work relationship with your supervisor is vital. This seminar will discuss strategies to manage yourself in such a way that promotes camaraderie between you and your supervisor, communicates your work style and maximizes your productivity.

Webinar: Banishing Bullying; 7/21; noon-1 p.m. Join us to discover how to recognize bullying behavior in adults and what to do if that behavior affects you or a loved one.

Webinar: Money 101; 8/18; noon-1 p.m. Money makes the world go round. Learn how to make it work for you. We will cover budgeting, building savings and managing debt.

Time Management; 8/25; noon-1 p.m. Each of us makes major decisions and reacts to important situations based on our perceptions of time and its value to us. This session will guide you through the hallmarks of quality time management, which include the ability to set reasonable time expectations and conservation strategies, knowledge of personal time perception strengths and weaknesses, sensitivity to time constraints and the ability to evaluate current goals based on them, and respect for our own time and valuing the time of others.

Healthy Living Workshops

Get the tools you need to live well year-round. From expert nutrition and weight loss advice to exercise and disease prevention strategies, we can help you kick-start your body and embrace a healthy lifestyle. These free workshops are sponsored by Human Resources. For details on these and other course offerings and to register,  visit www.hr.upenn.edu/myhr/registration or contact Human Resources at (215) 573-2471 or qowl@hr.upenn.edu

Employee Health and Wellness Month Kick-Off and One-mile Walk; 6/1; noon-1 p.m. Celebrate the start of Penn’s Employee Health and Wellness Month with this special kick-off event and one-mile walk on Locust Walk. Pick up the full calendar of events honoring faculty and staff well-being, along with additional resources to improve your health and get employees moving this summer.

Chair Yoga; 6/3; 6/18; noon-1 p.m. Plenty of people turn to yoga for exercise, but striking a pose isn’t for everyone. If you’ve been tempted to try it but don’t know where to start, it’s time to try chair yoga. Chair yoga is a more moderate form of yoga that’s done while sitting in a chair or using a chair for support. You get the same benefits of a regular yoga workout (like increased strength, flexibility and balance) but don’t have to master complex poses. Chair yoga can even better your breathing and teach you how to relax your mind and improve your wellbeing. Ready to give it a try? Join us for a free Chair Yoga workshop. And don’t worry about your experience or flexibility—chair yoga can be modified for all levels! This workshop will be led by Lieutenant John Wylie, Department of Public Safety at Penn.

Gentle Yoga; 6/11;6/25; 7/9; 7/23; noon–1 p.m. Let your body reward itself with movement! Join us for this Gentle Yoga session and explore the natural movements of the spine with slow and fluid moving bends and soft twists. During this session, you will flow into modified sun salutations that loosen those tightened muscles and joints of the lower back, neck, shoulders and wrists. And as an added bonus, you’ll get a workout in the process. Mats and props will be provided.

Navigating the Supermarket Nutrition Workshop; 6/23; noon-1 p.m. The supermarket is packed with endless food options and can be an overwhelming experience. Join a family food registered dietician, who will guide you in becoming a savvy food shopper during this interactive workshop. Learn to navigate the supermarket with ease and make good decisions along the way.

Outdoor Yoga Class; 6/24; noon-1 p.m. Find your inner “Zen Penn” at this first-time outdoor yoga class experience, led by John Wylie, Penn’s Chair Yoga guru. Let your body reward itself with movement. Join us for this yoga session and explore the natural movements of the spine with slow and fluid moving bends and soft twists. During this session, you will flow into modified sun salutations that loosen those tightened muscles and joints of the lower back, neck, shoulders and wrists. As an added bonus, you’ll get a workout in the process. Please be sure to bring your own yoga mat.

Webinar: Eating Right on the Run and on a Budget; 8/12; 1-2 p.m. Sometimes it can become difficult to eat right while we are on the move. In this webinar, provided by Penn’s Employee Assistance Program (EAP), explore effective ways in which you can eat foods that are healthy for your body and easy on your budget—all without missing a task on your agenda.

—Division of Human Resources

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