Professional and Personal Development Programs

Virtual Resilience and Well-Being Workshop 5: Joy Multiplier, 4/3; 12:30-2 p.m.; online; free. Explore how we can build trust and strengthen our relationships by responding with authentic engagement to other people’s positive experiences. This session’s attendance will be marked individually and not as a part of the series.

Models of Excellence Awards Ceremony and Reception, 4/9; 4-5 p.m.; Harrison Auditorium, Penn Museum, 3260 South Street Philadelphia, PA 19104; reception starts at 5 p.m. in the Penn Museum’s Chinese Rotunda; free. Don’t miss Penn’s premiere campus-wide staff recognition event featuring 12 individual staff member honorees, four staff team honorees, Interim President J. Larry Jameson, Provost John L. Jackson, Jr., Senior Executive Vice President Craig Carnaroli, Senior Vice President for Human Resources Jack Heuer, and musical guests the Penny Loafers. Details and registration available at www.hr.upenn.edu/models.

Participating In Performance Appraisals for Staff, 4/10; 12:30-1:30 p.m.; online; free. Join this workshop to understand the performance appraisal process and learn how you can prepare to have a productive review session.

Virtual Training 101, 4/11; 12:30-1:30 p.m.; online; free. Using our training structure road map, we will take a look at how to prepare and execute virtual training. We will examine the phases of training and how those are structured for a virtual training, how to reformat course activities and communication to participants, tips for using video platforms, and best practices for facilitating your course.

Conducting Performance Appraisals for Supervisors, 4/12; online; free. If you are supervising or managing other employees and feel the need to learn more about how to prepare for and conduct performance appraisals, this is the course you’ve been looking for. Join us to learn about best practices for this important annual procedure.

Compassion Fatigue: Helping Those Who Help Others, 4/16; 12:30-1:30 pm; online; free. Compassion fatigue is an extreme state of tension and preoccupation with the suffering of the person being helped, resulting in secondary traumatic stress for the caregiver. This workshop will help those who care for others learn how to avoid burnout, recharge and re-energize, and practice effective self-care skills.

Virtual Resilience and Well-Being Workshop 6: Positive Emotions and Resilience Symbols, 4/17; 12:30-2 p.m.; online; free. Learn how positive emotions and savoring increase resilience, consolidate what we learned in this series, and reflect on our experiences. This session’s attendance will be marked individually and not as a part of the series.

Health Advocate Presents: Caring for Caregivers, 4/18; 10-11 a.m. and 4-5 p.m.; online; free. Caring for loved ones for extended periods of time can take a toll on your health and well-being, and it is important to take care of yourself in order to prevent burnout and stay energized for the long-term. During this webinar, we will discuss coping mechanisms and other strategies designed to promote optimal well-being while engaged in caregiving.

Time and Energy Management: Ideas for Sustainable Life Balance, 4/25; 12:30-1:30 p.m.; online; free. As part of our Ideas for Sustainable Life Balance series, this interactive workshop defines energy management in terms of its relationship to work-life balance asserting that time is finite but energy is not. Individuals will be asked to do a personal energy assessment and to consider a habit that will serve them.

Work-Life Workshops

Virtual Workshop: Considering Home Ownership with PNC, 4/4; noon-1 p.m.; online; free. Explore the pros and cons of home ownership and what you need to do to be financially ready to buy your first house. Participants will learn what home ownership really costs, what to expect when applying for a mortgage, and which government programs can make home ownership more affordable.

2024-2025 Carrot Fertility Information Session, 4/10, 4/22; 11 a.m.-noon; online; free. Penn has partnered with Carrot Fertility to bring you inclusive, comprehensive fertility health and family-forming benefits that support wherever you are on your journey. This benefit provides you with exclusive resources designed to make fertility care more accessible and affordable.

The Science of Happiness: How to Make Each Day More Satisfying with the 5 Drivers of Living The Good Life, 4/10; noon-1 p.m.; online; free. Join this presentation by positive psychology expert and executive coach Stella Grizont, for simple and practical ways to be the most engaged, energized, and on purpose at work by following the science of happiness and the 5 drivers of living the good life, experiencing more meaning and purpose to your life.

Alcohol and Substance Abuse: Challenges and Opportunities for Support, 4/12; online; free. Substance use, notably alcohol consumption, can have detrimental effects on individuals and families across various backgrounds. It undermines relationships, job productivity, and overall health, among other aspects of life. This webinar will outline resources available to those struggling with substance abuse. 

2024-2025 Open Enrollment Benefits Information Session, 4/16, 4/23; 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.; virtual; free. Human Resources Benefits Department will conduct a presentation on what’s new and what’s changing for 2024-2025.

2024-2025 Open Enrollment Benefits Information Session, 4/18; noon-1:30 p.m.; virtual; free. Human Resources Benefits Department will conduct a presentation on what’s new and what’s changing for 2024-2025.

VP Live Wellness Webinar: Thriving With Nature, 4/18; virtual; free. Participants will discover how spending time in nature can reduce feelings of anger, fear and stress. Nature doesn’t just make us feel better; it can improve our physical and mental health.

Penn Healthy You Workshops

Virtual 30-Minute Guided Meditation, 4/5, 4/12, 4/19; noon-12:30 p.m.; online; free. Meditation, quite simply, is training your attention. In an age of distraction, this becomes a very important skill to maintain focus and mental acuity and develop emotional intelligence and fitness. This meditation is guided to encourage spaciousness and stability in your life.

Virtual 30-Minute Chair Yoga Plus Core, 4/8, 4/15, 4/22, 4/29; noon-12:30 p.m.; online; free. The Chair Yoga + Core program consists of moves to tone your abdominals, lengthen your spine, and strengthen your entire torso region. Many activities depend on a strong core, from the simple act of bending to put on shoes to the most athletic endeavors. Chair yoga for the core helps you learn to engage your abdominals correctly. With the abdominals engaged, you’ll find a natural lift and length without having to force anything. In just 30 minutes, beginners and those who regularly exercise can learn what to do without leaving their desks.

Virtual Workshop: Deskercize, 4/17; noon-12:30 p.m.; online; free. This class will take you through a variety of movements that can be done at your desk. Be prepared to work through a 30-minute low impact strength and flexibility workout.

Virtual Guided Mindful Meditation, 4/18; noon-1 p.m.; online; free. This workshop is for participants to practice present moment awareness with kindness and compassion. Our practice will include guided meditation focusing on the breath, body awareness, mindful movement, and other practices to cultivate well-being for yourself and others. The workshop is appropriate for people new to mindfulness practice as well as more experienced practitioners. No experience is necessary; all are welcome.

Spin Class, 4/23; noon – 12:45 pm; studio 306, Pottruck Gym; free. Free HR-sponsored spin class in partnership with Campus Recreation: Pedal your way to a fantastic workout indoors. With the use of stationary cycles, each class is led on a virtual outdoor road, complete with a variety of exercises. This class will give you an energizing, calorie-burning, fun workout and it is great for all fitness levels because you can ride at a self-directed pace.

Virtual Chair Yoga, 4/24; noon-12:45 p.m.; online; free. 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 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 well-being. This class is open to all levels.

Other

Penn Relays, 4/25; 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; in person; free/$5 per person. Faculty/staff can receive one (1) free adult ticket and one (1) free child ticket by showing a valid staff PennCard at the Franklin Field Ticket Office on the Thursday of the Penn Relays or by ordering online using your upenn.edu email address in advance. Faculty/staff can add additional child tickets for $5 each. The offer is only valid on Thursday, April 25, 2024, and can be redeemed online at this link or in person at the Franklin Field Ticket Office on Thursday, April 25, 2024. Tickets are for general admission seating only. Faculty/staff can purchase up to four reserved seats for children at an additional cost. Suitable for all ages.

Take Our Children to Work Day; 4/25; 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; in person; free. Penn’s annual Take Our Children to Work Day event will return to campus on April 25 with a range of activities and programs to suit young people’s varied interests and career goals. Advanced registration is required and opens on Monday, April 1 at 9 a.m. Visit the Take Our Children to Work Day webpage for details. 

—Division of Human Resources