Professional and Personal Development Programs

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

Assertiveness Skills; 12/2 12:30-1:30 p.m. You may experience situations when you need to be assertive to complete a task, goal or project. In this class, we will identify personal blocks to assertiveness, identify both assertive and non-assertive language and behaviors, and learn ways to use assertiveness in everyday situations.

Conflict Resolution; 12/3; 12:30-1:30 p.m. During this course, we will learn the different types of conflict, learn to use several tools to help us address conflict in healthy and productive ways, learn how to reap the benefits of conflict, and finally how to mitigate its risks. We’ll also practice using these tools together so that we can all become more confident in handling disagreements within our team and in our personal lives.

Your Career @ Penn; 12/4; 12:30-1:30 p.m. Navigating Your Career at Penn has been developed to assist staff in building their careers at Penn by helping to connect your skills and abilities with career opportunities. The session will be facilitated by Penn HR. Topics include: Increasing Your Marketability at Penn and Internal Job Strategies.

How to Make Yourself Indispensable; 12/8; 12:30-1:30 p.m. Indispensable employees perform with a mindset that drives them to think, act, and behave differently. In this seminar, you’ll learn how to: take ownership of your responsibilities and results, take initiative to go above and beyond what is expected of you, expand your sphere of influence, perform well under pressure, adapt to changing situations, and avoid being replaceable.

Work-life Workshops

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

How Caregivers Can Secure the Future of Their Dependent with Special Needs; 12/3; noon-1 p.m. This workshop addresses such critical issues as protecting government benefit eligibility for Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Special Needs Trusts, ABLE Accounts, and the importance of a will.

Grow Where You are Planted; 12/10; 12:30-1:30 p.m. There may be times when we wish things were different at work and/or in our home life. Sometimes it’s time for a change, and other times it isn’t. How do we know when to accept things as they are, or when a change in perspective is needed? Do your employees want to be promoted faster, or are they restless? This seminar explores the typical flow of human reactions and responses, and suggests practical tips for enjoying whatever stage participants are experiencing. Proven strategies such as gaining clarity, brainstorming creatively, re-framing and parallel paths are some of the useful tools participants will learn about.

The Benefits of Mindfulness; 12/15; 7-8:30 p.m. The practice of mindfulness is associated with stress reduction, improved attention and memory, enhanced mood, and even improved psychological and physiological functioning. But what exactly is mindfulness? Join Michael Baime, MD, the founder and Director of the Penn Program for Mindfulness, for this introduction to mindfulness workshop. The evening will include a presentation, a period of mindfulness practice, and Q&A. No prior mindfulness experience is necessary and everyone is warmly invited.

Penn Healthy You Workshops

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

Vinyasa Yoga; 12/4; noon-1 p.m. Vinyasa Yoga is a unique sequence of postures aimed at strengthening the mind-body connection. Its hallmark is the emphasis on the connection between breath and body. With roots in multiple forms of classic yoga—including ashtanga vinyasa yoga—this class will allow you to stretch and strengthen your body and clarify your mind. This method encourages vitality, strength, and healing as we work with the body as a whole. No previous experience or knowledge of yoga is required.

Nutrition Cooking Demonstration; 12/7; noon-1 p.m. Join Corporate Wellness Nutrition (formerly Family Food) for a live cooking demonstration via Zoom! Learn healthy cooking methods while observing a tasty recipe being prepared by chef and Registered Dietitian, Emma Donnelly.

Bodypump; 12/8; noon-1 p.m. A toning and conditioning class with weights that is for everybody! It’s perfect for anyone who wants to add strength training into their aerobic workout. You won’t know if you don’t go. So meet the challenge and reap the rewards!

New Wellness Program and Platform Demo by Virgin Pulse; 12/10; noon-1 p.m. Join us for a virtual live demonstration of the new Virgin Pulse wellness platform! During the demonstration, Virgin Pulse Client Success Manager Emma Doyle will walk participants through many aspects of the platform, showing you how to:

• Enroll and set up your Virgin Pulse account, including the mobile app
• Create your user profile, plus set your topics and interests
• Review the dashboard page, including daily cards and support options when you need assistance
• Explore Virgin Pulse programs, including challenges, tracking options, Journeys, and more
• Review Be in the Know 2020-2021 campaign activities, including the Health Check and all Bonus Actions
• Fill out Attestation Forms to get credit for certain completed Bonus Actions
• Create a personal challenge and invite players to join
• Connect devices and apps that will sync to the platform

There will also be a Q&A section at the end of the demonstration in which participants can submit questions via the chat feature.

Chair Yoga; 12/16; 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 Judith Glass from UPHS.

Barre; 12/17; noon-1 p.m. A unique, high energy, no-to-low impact class that combines barre work, lightweights, and cardiovascular work with continual fat burning motion. Central to the workout are toning and resistance exercises for the lower body, legs, torso, and arms to sculpt muscles and elongate the appearance of your body.

Yoga; 12/21; noon-1 p.m. This class is great for people who are just starting out with yoga or anyone who is looking for a class targeting flexibility. Come to a yoga practice that concentrates on the fundamentals, where you can focus on strength, flexibility, and balance, with an emphasis on good body alignment and stress relief through breathwork.  Whatever your level of yoga experience, this practice allows you to meet yourself where you are and finish feeling great in mind and body.

—Division of Human Resources