Professional & Personal Development Programs

Improve your skills and get ahead in your career by taking advantage of the many opportunities provided by HR. Register for programs at Knowledge Link or contact Learning and Education at (215) 898-3400.

TED Talk Tuesday: Tom Wujec’s Build a Tower, Build a Team; 6/20; 12:30 p.m. Business visualization consultant Tom Wujec uses the “marshmallow challenge” to teach valuable lessons about collaboration. Creative groups can learn a lot from how children collaborate: They don’t worry about who’s in charge; they just start experimenting and adapt their prototypes as they go.

*Learning with Lynda: Communicating Across Cultures; 6/21; 12:30 p.m. When you travel, some differences are easy to identify: the language, the food, the music. But in order to communicate effectively in a cross-cultural business setting, it’s important to understand your international colleagues’ underlying values, beliefs, and history. Tatiana Kolovou demonstrates simple techniques to communicate well across cultures as a manager, peer, and coworker.

*Learning with Lynda: Managing Time; 6/27; 12:30 p.m. Author Todd Dewett shares four time-management tips that help everyone from busy executives to new employees get more out of their work day. Learn how to think differently about time management, embrace the 80% rule, find your “Einstein” window, protect it and broadcast your availability to ensure others know when you’ll be available.

Brown Bag: Mentoring; 6/29; 12:30 p.m. A mentor serves as a trusted adviser who can provide valuable insight into organizational life. Serving as a mentor can be a valuable experience that enables others to benefit from your wisdom and experience.Successful mentoring relationships require the right chemistry. We will review the elements of these relationships and how to seek out these opportunities.

*Learning with Lynda utilizes Penn’s enterprise-wide license of Lynda.com to provide a blended learning solution for the campus. Prior to attending the in-class session it is recommended that you take the online module. During the session we apply the concepts.

Quality of Worklife Workshops

Dealing with the demands of work and your personal life can be challenging. These free workshops, sponsored by HR and led by experts from Penn’s EAP and Quality of Worklife department, offer information and support for your personal and professional life challenges. For details and to register, visit Event and Program Registration or contact HR at (215) 573-2471 or qowl@hr.upenn.edu

Mindfulness Monday: From Mind Full to Mindful; 6/5; 12:30 p.m. 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; 6/6; 12:30 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. Also 6/16.

Flexible Work Options; 6/14; 12:30 p.m. Your caregiving responsibilities don’t stop once you get to work, which is one of the reasons this role is so challenging. This webinar will discuss how to approach caregiving, while also managing your job responsibilities—and stay sane at the same time.

College Search Workshops for Penn Faculty and Staff Families; 6/19; 4:30-6:30 p.m. In collaboration with HR, Admissions will host workshops for Penn faculty and staff families with rising high school juniors and seniors to help answer questions about the college search process. What courses are important to take in high school? How significant are good grades, extracurricular activities, essays, test scores and interviews? What should a prospective student look for in a college? Discuss these questions and more with Penn faculty and staff and their families, whether students plan to apply to Penn or elsewhere. The program will feature Eric J. Furda, C’87, dean of admissions; Elaine P. Varas, senior director of student financial aid; and Janae Boone, senior tuition benefits specialist, and Admissions staff who will lead discussions and exercises. For questions, contact admrsvp@admissions.upenn.edu

Webinar: Special Needs and Disability Planning; 6/20; 3 p.m. Estate planning for a disabled or special needs family member is difficult and requires specialized tools to ensure lifelong care, including retention of any assets that a disabled family member may have or receive, and retention of any government entitlements. We will focus on life and long-term care planning for special needs families, life planning options for a disabled individual (powers of attorney, healthcare directives, conservatorships and guardianships), Medicaid and Social Security programs, ways to preserve the assets of a disabled person and options for families who would like to provide for their disabled loved one in their estate plans. Take an active role in planning your loved one’s future.
Stress Management; 6/22; 3 p.m. Learn to identify when you are relaxed, how to manage it, and how to use it to improve your quality of life. Participants will discover responses to relaxation, the physical and mental signs of relaxation, and specific relaxation exercises and techniques. Feel free to bring your lunch.

New and Expectant Parent Briefing; 6/28; 11:30 a.m. This is an introductory 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, and a Q&A with an FMLA specialist. Participants will also have the opportunity to network with other expectant and new parents.

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 HR. For details and to register, visit Event and Program Registration or contact HR at (215) 573-2471 or qowl@hr.upenn.edu

Employee Health and Wellness Month Kick-off Walk; 6/1; noon. Kicking off Penn’s Employee Health and Wellness Month with a wellness walk. We have partnered with the Center for Public Health Initiatives, PPSA, and Penn Rec to make this an especially fun event. CPHI has designed a 2-mile route which starts at College Hall, goes down the Boardwalk, ending at Pottruck Gym, which will be hosting an open house where you can receive promotional items along with some information about programs, services, and memberships. Meet at noon in front of College Hall by the Ben Franklin statue for a quick stretching warm-up.

Be in the Know: Last Chance On-Campus Biometric Screenings; 6/5. The 2016 –2017 Be in the Know campaign year ends August 31, but there’s still time to complete a biometric screening and earn up to $200 (less applicable payroll taxes.) Get your free, quick, and convenient  screening and take the first step to understanding vital health information and earning incentives.

Joe’s BBQ Healthy Specials; 6/7; 11 a.m.-1 p.m.; various prices. Joe’s BBQ will feature a chef’s special focusing on lean proteins, a bounty of fresh, seasonal vegetables sourced from local farms, and a fruit-focused dessert. These specials fall squarely within Bon Appétit’s well-being commitments and have been reviewed by Dan Connolly, registered dietitian nutritionist, making the healthy choice the easy choice. Also 6/14, 6/21 and 6/28.

Exercise and Aging Workshop; 6/8; noon. All populations need physical fitness programs, especially as we age. Exercise not only decreases the number of visits to the doctor, but is also vital for emotional health, independent living, and more. Join AREUFIT’s Micah Josephson, exercise physiologist and wellness coach, to learn how exercise and program goals are different as we age and how you can stay on track.

8-week Healthy Weight Support Group starts; 6/9; noon. Are you frustrated that you can’t seem to reach your weight goals, regardless of how hard you try? Do you strive to be healthier, but find it difficult to stick with your goals? If you are ready to be the best you at a healthy weight, join this new 8-week Healthy Weight Support Group, led by Family Food, LLC. The program is based on science and research, with no gimmicks or fads, allowing participants to make effective changes with impact. Participants will receive 8 weeks of expert input from a Dietician, the nutrition experts and the support of other group members. Each session will include healthy weight education from the registered dietician, an opportunity to share with other participants, and weigh-ins.

Get to Know What’s Healthy at Houston Market; 6/13; 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 the Market. Meet at Houston Hall’s info desk, where he will give a brief history of Bon Appétit and explain the elements of a healthy meal. He’ll walk you through the various food stations and explain how you, too, can eat healthy.

Vitamins and Supplements: Which Ones Are Right for You? 6/26; noon-12:30 p.m. Micronutrient supplements can be quite expensive and knowing which ones to take can be confusing and overwhelming. Join a Family Food Registered Dietician to help make sense of it all and determine which supplements are right for you.

—Division of Human Resources