Professional and Personal Development Programs

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

Participating in Performance Appraisals for Staff; March 1; 12:30-1:30 p.m.; free. With SparkHire Video Interviews growing in popularity at the University, we want you to be prepared! Recruitment and Staffing welcome you to learn from our experts on how to best use the SparkHire Video Interview tool as a candidate.

STEP UP Introduction: First Steps to Excellence; March 6; 9 a.m.-noon.; $150 for entire course. First Steps to Excellence is part one of STEP UP, Penn’s self-paced seven-part leadership development program. By the end of the First Steps to Excellence, you’ll have a deeper understanding of your five signature strengths and discover additional ways to take charge of your career at Penn. Other STEP UP sessions focus on developing skills to manage oneself, such as communications, getting work done, dealing with change and managing up.

Conducting Performance Appraisals for Supervisors; March 13; 12:30-1:30 p.m.; free. Do you supervise or manage other employees and want to learn more about how to prepare for and conduct performance appraisals? This is the course you’ve been looking for! Join us to find out best practices for this important annual procedure.

Learning with Lynda: Communicating with Empathy; March 15; 12:30-1:30 p.m.; free. In this course, communication expert Sharon Steed explains the principles of empathetic communication and shares specific strategies to help improve your approach to difficult conversations. Get ready to learn how to converse empathetically to improve your one-on-one conversations and team interactions.

How to Make Yourself Indispensable; March 20; noon-1 p.m.; $75. Your organization may be filled with good—even great—employees. But great employees aren’t necessarily indispensable. They are valuable, yes. But to be indispensable, employees need to be better than great. They need to perform with a mindset that drives them to think, act and behave differently. In this brown bag, 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, be someone others want to work with, help others improve their performance, avoid being “irreplaceable”—locked into your role and unwilling to share your knowledge.

TED Talk Tuesday: Susan Colantuono, the Career Advice You Probably Didn’t Get; March 27; 12:30-1:30 p.m.; free. You’re doing everything right at work, taking all the right advice, but you’re just not moving up. Why? In this TED Talk screening, Susan Colantuono shares a simple, surprising piece of advice you might not have heard before quite so plainly. This talk, while aimed at an audience of women, has universal takeaways—for men and women, new grads and midcareer workers.

Quality of Worklife Workshops

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

Vanguard Live Webinar: Getting on Track for Retirement; February 21; noon-1 p.m; or 6-7 p.m. free. This webinar is intended for employees 10 to 20 years from retirement. Learn how to estimate if you’re on track for retirement by using an online calculator, and get practical solutions on how to get back on track if needed.

Vanguard Live Webinar: Timeline to Retirement; February 21; 3-4 p.m; free. This is intended for participants three  to 10 years from retirement and will review the key benefits and decision points from ages 55 to 70. It focuses on two federal entitlement programs, Social Security and Medicare, as well as major milestones associated with employer-sponsored retirement plans that can help participants avoid significant tax penalties on withdrawals.

Penn Family Night Basketball: Women’s Basketball vs. Yale; March 2; 7 p.m.; $3.50. The Division of Human Resources and Penn Athletics invite benefits eligible faculty and staff to cheer on the Penn Men’s and Women’s basketball teams at the Palestra. Family night tickets include a discounted game ticket, compliments of Penn Athletics and a $5 concession coupon redeemable for food and beverage compliments of the Division of Human Resources. Order tickets before Februay 26 at the Penn Athletics website, http://www.pennathletics.com, with the promo code FAMILY or purchase at the Penn Athletics Ticket Office located at Weightman Hall, 235 S. 33rd Street between Walnut and Spruce.

Guided Meditation: Take a Breath and Relax; March 6; 12:30-1:30 p.m.; free. 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.

New and Expectant Parent Briefing; March 7; 12:30-1:30 p.m.; free. 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, flexible work options, among other topics. This session will also cover Penn’s short-term disability (STD) and related sick leave policies.

Mindfulness Monday: From Mind Full to Mindful; March 12; 12:30-1:30 p.m.; free. 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.

Guided Meditation: Take a breath and relax; March 20; noon-1 p.m.; free. See March 6 listing for program details.

Webinar: Substance Abuse and Your Loved Ones; March 21; noon-1 p.m.; free. Substance abuse doesn’t just impact those that are addicted to substances, but can also have devastating effects on those around them—especially their loved ones. This session will explain symptoms of drug abuse and an overview of withdrawal symptoms of substances such as alcohol, opiates and others. We will review what addiction is and how it is a chronic brain disease. Enabling a loved one will be discussed but also what you can and should do for yourself. It is important to know that as a loved one of someone who is addicted to substances, you are not alone.

Behavior Issues Workshop for Parents and Caregivers; March 29; noon-1 p.m.; free. Join us for a Behavior Issues Workshop with Alison Zisser, a clinical child and pediatric psychologist at CHOP. You will get professional support on young children’s behavioral difficulties and learn how to promote their behavioral well-being. This workshop is tailored for parents and caregivers of toddlers and preschoolers. Lunch will be provided. Please be sure to register in advance.

Healthy Living Workshops

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

Know Your Numbers Workshop; February 22; noon-1 p.m.; free. Celebrate American Heart Month with AREUFIT Health Services! Define and discover the impact of important heart health terms—including cholesterol, glucose, blood pressure, heart disease, and metabolic syndrome.

Metabolism Mystery vs. Makeover Workshop; March 8; noon-1 p.m.; free. Do you eat healthy and exercise and still aren’t reaching your weight goals? Do you feel tired all the time? Your metabolism plays a big role in your weight and energy levels. A Family Food Registered Dietitian will teach you how to eat to increase your metabolism and energy.

Be in the Know Biometric Screenings; March 15, 16 and 19; free for benefits-eligible faculty and staff. Free on-campus biometric screenings provide you with key indicators of your health status, such as blood pressure, cholesterol levels and blood sugar. Participants receive immediate feedback on their results—plus points toward Be in the Know cash incentives. You can earn up to $300 this campaign year! Visit www.hr.upenn.edu/beintheknow for details about the 2017-2018 Be in the Know wellness campaign.

INDOOR March Wellness Walk; March 16; noon-1 p.m.; free. March is National Nutrition Month: Meet the Center for Public Health Initiatives staff inside the Palestra and walk a one-mile or two-mile route while chatting about nutrition and how you can develop a mindful eating pattern that includes nutritious and flavorful foods. We hope you will be able to join us. Bring your water bottle and don’t forget your sneakers!

—Division of Human Resources