myHR Archives
myHR: April 20, 2016
Celebrate Models of Excellence This Thursday
Do you know a Model of Excellence? This year, Penn’s Models of Excellence Program honors 79 outstanding staff members who support Penn’s success every day.
Join the 2016 Models of Excellence honorees and President Amy Gutmann at the award ceremony and reception tomorrow at 4pm in Irvine Auditorium. The whole Penn community is invited to this lively, one-of-a-kind celebration of University staff.
Visit Models of Excellence Program website for more details, including information about the nomination process and honorees.
Penn’s Open Enrollment and Wellness Fairs Attract Visitors
Yesterday, hundreds of Penn faculty and staff learned more about their healthcare benefits and their health at the annual Benefits Open Enrollment and Wellness Fair in Houston Hall. Today from 10am to 2pm, Penn Vet faculty and staff can attend a convenient Open Enrollment Fair located on the New Bolton Center campus in Chester County.
Each year, Open Enrollment and Wellness Fair visitors have the opportunity to meet with representatives from Aetna, Independence Blue Cross, Davis Vision, the Penn Employee Assistance Program, Care.com, and other benefit providers. Staff from Penn Medicine share information about their world-class services. Health educators provide screenings, nutrition information, and free chair massage sessions. Penn Retirement Benefits Specialists and representatives from Vanguard and TIAA are also available to answer questions about retirement planning and financial wellness.
If you miss these fairs, you still have the opportunity to meet with Penn’s Benefits Specialists at an Open Enrollment presentation this Monday, April 25 at noon in the Golkin Room at Houston Hall. This 45-minute presentation will be followed by a question and answer session.
Open Enrollment for the 2016-2017 plan year ends Friday, April 29. For complete details about this year’s Open Enrollment, visit the Human Resources website at www.hr.upenn.edu/openenrollment to access benefit comparison charts, 2016-2017 rates, provider directories, and more.
If you have any questions about Open Enrollment, please call the Penn Benefits Center at 1-888-PENNBEN (1-888-736-6236) or contact Human Resources at benefits@hr.upenn.edu.
Coaching Counts for Effective Management
In any field, great managers are great coaches. Their direct reports tend to be more productive and happier. Research bears this out. “The single most important managerial competency that separates highly effective managers from average ones is coaching,” says Monique Valcour, executive coach, Harvard Business Review author, and professor of management at EDHEC Business School.
Coaching is a skill that anyone can build. How can managers improve their coaching abilities? Coaching Skills for Managers on June 2, 9am-5pm is an excellent way to start. Register now for this valuable seminar and prepare to help your staff reach their potential. In this program, you will:
- Learn the difference between coaching and other development strategies.
- Discover the key elements of successful coaching relationships.
- Understand the coaching process and how to apply each step.
- Identify common challenges to successful coaching.
- Discover effective strategies for managing challenges.
- Establish and maintain a successful coaching relationship with an employee.
Yes, coaches can be coached. And the Coaching Skills for Managers program offers a convenient opportunity for you to discover the value of coaching. Once you complete the class, you’ll be in a better position to support your coworkers’ professional development as well as your own.
When you register for Coaching Skills for Managers on Knowledge Link, your department will be charged a fee of $75 for the program.
For more development opportunities, visit the Learning and Development website.
Ready to Spring into Retirement Benefits?
When it’s time to consider retiring, be sure you know the basics to make the best of all your work over the years. Register for Penn’s May 18 Thinking About Retirement information sessions.
If you’re a year or two away from retirement,* Thinking About Retirement may be just right for you. On May 18, from 11am to 3pm at the Inn at Penn, Thinking About Retirement covers the essential parts of your retirement package, including your retirement income options, Social Security, and Medicare. This informative event features expert guest speakers and Penn Benefits specialists. Register for this special two-part program and prepare to reap the rewards of your Penn career long after you retire.
At Thinking About Retirement, you can attend both information sessions, or just the one that covers your areas of interest. Representatives from the Social Security Administration and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will explain the basics of these programs. Penn Benefits specialists from Human Resources will also be there to answer your questions about retirement savings, healthcare, and other aspects of your retiree benefits for you and your dependents.
Register for the sessions of your choice by clicking on the links below.
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Time |
Thinking About Retirement Sessions |
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11am to 12:30am |
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1:30pm to 3pm |
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For more information go to the Penn’s Retiree Benefits webpage, or visit the Saving for Retirement webpage for information on Penn’s retirement investment plans.
*According to the “rule of 75,” you are eligible to receive retiree health benefits if your age plus your years of full-time, continuous service total is at least 75, with a minimum of age 55 and 15 years of service, or age 62 and 10 years of service.Healthy Meals: Spring Strawberry Pie
Get ready to celebrate the start of strawberry season with this light version of pie. You can make your very own graham cracker crust or use a prepared one – easy and delicious!
Find the recipe here or send us your healthy recipes and tips.
Did You Know? You Can Try Discount Y Membership for Free
Discount membership at your local Y is now available for Penn faculty and staff! Give the Y a try with a free one day family pass, good through May 8, 2016. To get your pass, just download this form and present it with your PennCard at any Philadelphia Freedom Valley YMCA location or Regional Y Alliances.
Penn Produce Winners
In the April 6 myHR Produce Poll, readers let us know their favorite source of fruits and vegetables on campus. Here are the results:
1. The Farmers Market at 36th and Walnut Streets: 40%
2. Fruit Salad Trucks and Carts: 21%
3. The Fresh Grocer (a.k.a. FroGro): 11%
4. The produce stand at 40th and Locust Walk: 9%
5. Wawa: 3%
There were also many write-in favorites, such as Yaya’s at 44th and Sansom Streets, Supreme Shop N Bag at 43th and Walnut, Penn’s own Houston Hall food court, and Northbrook Marketplace in West Chester, not far from Penn’s New Bolton Center.
So even if you forget to pack a healthy lunch or snack, there are plenty of great places to get your greens at Penn.
And the prize drawing winners are…
Ann Watts of Gifts Accounting & Administration and Tamara Mason of Career Services. They will receive professional development books courtesy of Human Resources Learning and Education.
Watch for more prize drawings in upcoming issues of myHR.