Professional & Personal Development Programs

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

The Gift of Feedback; 12/2; 12:30-1:30 p.m. Feedback can be an amazing gift that helps improve performance, but many managers feel challenged by giving and receiving feedback. In this session managers will learn how to frame feedback as a gift that creates productive dialog and improved performance. Additionally, we will cover how managers can solicit feedback from staff in order to become more effective leaders.

Managing Change; 12/7; 12:30-1:30 p.m.  Change may have a troubling effect on staff and managers, both directly and indirectly.  This brown bag lunch talk will help to consider the impact of change, provide strategies to support staff during a season of change and give you strategies to appropriately address job security.

Engagement Starts With You; 12/20; 12:30-1:30 p.m. Engagement starts with the employee. Research shows that engaged employees are more productive and satisfied with their jobs. In this session we will look at engagement from the individual perspective and discuss ways to increase and maintain engagement.

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 and to register, visit www.hr.upenn.edu/myhr/registration or contact Human Resources at (215) 573-2471 or qowl@hr.upenn.edu

Effective Listening and Communication; 12/5; 12:30-1:30 p.m. This is designed to teach listening and communication skills and techniques that will enhance both professional and personal relationships, such as listening skills to extract information, the “when” and “how” of what makes sense to communicate.

90-Minute Work-Life Harmony: A Personal Retreat; 12/6; noon-1:30 p.m. This 90-minute experiential and engaging Work-Life Harmony retreat will provide an opportunity for you to calm your mind and take stock for clarity and balance. Jennifer Schelter, Retreat and Mindfulness leader, will guide you through practical strategies to nurture your wellbeing, including three essential practices to de-stress. She is a renowned inspirational and motivational speaker who focuses on wellbeing and mindfulness strategies for empowering individuals to “take your next step” and embrace new beginnings.

Mindfulness Monday: From Mind Full to Mindful; 12/12; 12:30-1:30 p.m. Mindfulness is “paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, non-judgmentally,” according to Jon Kabat-Zinn. Mindfulness practice develops awareness of your present thoughts and feelings to help you manage different situations. In this once-a-month experiential workshop, you’ll see how mindfulness can help you become more engaged and effective both at home and in the workplace. No prior meditation experience is necessary.

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 and to register, visit www.hr.upenn.edu/myhr/registration Or contact Human Resources at (215) 573-2471 or qowl@hr.upenn.edu

Yoga on the Green; 12/1; 6 p.m. Student Health Services is thrilled to be partnering with Campus Recreation on a monthly yoga series. The first Thursday of every month will be a free yoga class on Shoemaker Green and is open to all faculty and staff. You can also document this activity as a qualifying bonus action item for the Be in the Know Campaign. Come and join in and spread the word!

Gentle Yoga; 12/7 & 12/14; 11 a.m.–noon. 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.

December Wellness Walk; 12/16; noon-1 p.m. For the last monthly wellness walk of 2016, we invite everyone to walk decked out for the season. Come adorned in your “ho-ho-ho” tie, reindeer antlers/hat, candy cane tights, jingle bells—and yes, we want to see that ugly holiday sweater. Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, New Year’s Day or simply the spirit of the season, we hope you will join us for some healthy, holiday fun! Even if dressing up is not for you, join us as we take advantage of the great benefits walking produces.

Guided Meditation: Take a Breath and Relax; 12/16; 12:30-1:30 p.m. Practice mindful breathing that focuses your attention on the present moment with kindness, compassion and awareness. Self-massage and gentle mindful movements that promote relaxation and reduce stress may also be included in the workshop. No experience is necessary.

—Division of Human Resources