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Human Resources: Upcoming December Programs

Professional and Personal Development Programs

Open to faculty and staff. Register at http://knowledgelink.upenn.edu/

TED Talk Tuesday: Got a Wicked Problem? First, Tell Me How You Make Toast; 12/11; 12:30-1:30 p.m. Making toast doesn’t sound very complicated—until someone asks you to draw the process, step by step. Tom Wujec loves asking people and teams to draw how they make toast, because the process reveals unexpected truths about how we can solve our biggest, most complicated problems at work. Learn how to run this exercise yourself and hear Mr. Wujec’s surprising insights from watching thousands of people draw toast.

Using Social Media for Your Job Search; 12/14; 12:30-1:30 p.m. Are you using social media in your job search? In this workshop hosted by Recruitment and Staffing, learn how to leverage your social platform to connect with University professionals and land your next job.

Psychology of Job Performance; 12/19; 12:30-1:30 p.m. Successfully overcoming performance issues in the workplace requires a basic understanding of how the human mind works. In this hour-long session, we will discuss how job performance intersects with concepts within the field of psychology, such as behavioral science and motivation. We will discuss how these concepts form a framework that can be used to diagnose performance issues and realize the most efficient and effective ways to overcome them.    

Work-life Workshops

Open to faculty and staff. Register at www.hr.upenn.edu/registration

Guided Meditation; 12/4 and 12/14; 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 necessary.

Mindfulness; 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 necessary.

Penn Healthy You Workshops

Open to faculty and staff. Register at www.hr.upenn.edu/registration

Get to Know What is Healthy at Houston Hall; 12/4; 11:30 a.m.-noon. Join Dan Connolly, Bon Appétit’s Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, on an interesting tour of the many delicious, healthy options in Houston Market. You will meet him at Houston Hall’s Information Desk, where he will give a brief history of Bon Appétit and explain the elements of a healthy meal. Then, you’ll follow Mr. Connolly downstairs to Houston Market, where he’ll walk you through the various food stations and explain how you too can eat healthy at Houston Market!

December Wellness Walk: Holiday Edition; 12/14; noon-1 p.m., starts at Locust Walk in front of College Hall. The holidays are quickly approaching and we hope that you are beginning to be in a festive mood. We will be having our monthly wellness walk, and we want everyone to come dressed in fun and crazy holiday decorations. 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 that grandma gave you last year. 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! Hopefully the weather will be favorable and we will be able to enjoy everyone’s ornamentations. Even if dressing up is not for you, we still want you to grab your coworkers and join us for just an hour as we take advantage of the great benefits walking produces.

­—Division of Human Resources

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