myHR Archives
myHR: June 15, 2016
Penn Manager’s Toolkit Puts Essential Information at Your Fingertips
As a manager, you wear many hats. You’re a leader, a coach, and an advisor. You’re a resource to staff: when they have questions, they come to you; when there’s a problem, you help solve it.
Playing all these roles can be a challenge. But now, managers have a resource of their own to help make this part of the job easier. The Manager’s Toolkit – a new website designed especially for Penn’s managers – gathers in one location the information and resources you need to effectively hire, manage, and support your staff.
The Manager’s Toolkit provides quick access to essential policies and forms based on the stages of a staff member’s employment. In addition, the site offers these useful resources:
Recruiting Staff – Visit the Manager’s Toolkit to quickly find the Hiring Officer Handbook, a guide to completing a Position Information Questionnaire (PIQ), candidate evaluation forms, sample offer letters, and more.
Onboarding Staff – Here you’ll find onboarding checklists, information on performance planning for the introductory period, and access to the New Faculty and Staff Member Portal, which links to the essential information every new Penn staff member needs.
Managing Staff – Find what you need to effectively manage staff on a day-to-day basis, including an overview and video of the keys to effective performance management from Staff & Labor Relations. Also link to information on Penn’s Performance Management Program, the online performance appraisal system, resources for resolving workplace issues, and more.
Developing and Coaching Staff – Help develop your staff with information on giving informal and formal feedback, identifying staff professional development needs, and training opportunities. Also find tips on professional development for managers. The video, Increasing Your Marketability at Penn, is useful for staff and managers alike.
Building Team and Staff Engagement – Get ideas for building an engaged team, and link to training and other resources from Learning & Education.
Benefits and Compensation – Information about health care coverage, Penn's retirement savings plan, time off, insurance, and tuition benefits is at your fingertips. Quickly find information on salary ranges and offers, the merit increase program, and other compensation resources.
Supporting Staff’s Quality of Work Life – Easily access what you need to know about the Employee Assistance Program, flexible work options, and the Nursing Mothers Program. Link to backup childcare, adult/elder care, new child benefits, legal and financial counseling, and other resources.
Offboarding Staff – Visit the Manager’s Toolkit to review guidelines for offboarding staff in regular positions. You can also download the checklist for when a staff member leaves, as well as exit interview guidelines and sample questions.
Make the Manager’s Toolkit website your go-to resource for the information you need to hire, manage and support your staff. Bookmark www.hr.upenn.edu/managerstoolkit.
A Powerful Line Up of Summer and Fall Training Programs
Professional development is not just for accountants, teachers, health care professionals, and engineers. No matter the field, successful leaders understand the value of fostering professional and personal learning, especially here at Penn. This is a University, after all.
When it’s your job to support education and research, finding time and resources for professional development can be daunting. That’s why Penn brings customized and nationally recognized training programs to campus for staff and faculty. These programs are available at very little cost to you or your department. In fact, most are free.
Through Human Resources Learning and Education, you and your staff can benefit from practical and effective training programs at amazing savings. For instance, a two-day, off-site course offered by the respected American Management Association (AMA) costs nearly $2,000. That doesn’t even include transportation. However, through Human Resources Learning and Education, you can take that same two-day AMA course right here for only $75.
Don’t forget Learning and Education’s specialized courses, developed with Penn’s culture in mind to prepare staff members to fulfill the University’s unique mission. Courses such as the Penn Certificate Program in Administrative Excellence, STEP UP, and Essentials of Management bring out the best in participants while allowing them to stay productive.
For the summer and fall 2016, Learning and Education has an empowering line up of courses specifically chosen to meet your goals. Here are some highlights:
| 8/2 | STEP UP begins |
| 8/10 & 9/7 | The Art of Presentation, parts 1 & 2 |
| 8/16 | Fundamental Concepts of Performance Management |
| 9/8 | Business Writing for Success |
| 9/13 | Essentials of Management begins |
| 9/21 | Project Management |
| 10/6 & 10/7 | American Management Association’s Lean Process Improvement |
| 10/19 | Penn Certificate Program in Administrative Excellence begins |
| 10/21 | Introduction to Finance for Non-Financial Personnel |
| 10/25 | Customer Service Boot Camp for Frontline Staff |
| 10/27 | Achieving Team Excellence |
| 11/8 | Dealing with Difficult People |
| 11/9 | STEP UP begins |
These popular courses fill up fast, so register soon at Knowledge Link. Your department will be charged for the cost listed on the registration page.
For a full list of personal and professional development opportunities, including career coaching, visit the Learning and Education website.
Revisions to Penn’s Short-Term Disability Policy Take Effect July 1
This is a reminder that Penn has revised its short-term disability (STD) and related sick leave policies in order to respond to the needs of University staff. The policy changes are for all current and new regular full-time staff, position grades 28 and below, effective July 1, 2016.*
The changes, announced earlier this year, were developed through the collaborative efforts of the Division of Human Resources, the University Council Committee on Personnel Benefits, and other staff members across the University.
Under the new policy, staff members are eligible for short-term disability on the first day of the month following their hire date. Staff members no longer need to accrue STD days. Instead, staff members who are approved for disability will be paid 100% of their base salary for the duration of the disability up to maximum of 6 weeks after a 10-day waiting period.
During the waiting period, sick and/or paid time off (PTO) days will be used. If sick or PTO days are not available, the waiting period will be unpaid. If the approved disability continues beyond 8 weeks, staff members will continue to receive 75% of base salary up to a maximum of 18 additional weeks.
Staff members will continue to accrue sick days up to a new maximum of 24 days. Staff members who have accrued more than 24 sick days before July 1, 2016 will retain their balance of unused days. These days may be used during the STD waiting period and for unrelated illnesses, doctor’s appointments, intermittent family and medical leave, and care of a family member (up to 5 days in a calendar year).
Staff members who accrued STD days before July 1, 2016 will retain their balances until June 30, 2018. These days may be used during weeks 9-26 of STD to replace 75% of salary with 100%.
If you have questions, please contact fmla@hr.upenn.edu or visit www.hr.upenn.edu/myhr/benefits.
*University staff members who are covered by collective bargaining agreements should refer to the appropriate contract article. Any contract articles incorporating or referring to previous editions of this policy shall be superseded by the current policy.
Be in the Know Wellness Wrap Up 2015-2016
The days are getting longer and warmer. That means more healthful fruits and vegetables are in season and more opportunities for outdoor activities. That also means Penn's Be in the Know 2015-2016 wellness campaign will wrap up soon, but don’t throw in the towel. You still have time to take action and earn up to $180.*
How can you get all of your cash incentive points?
Check Your Point Total
You'll find your point score in the My Incentive section of penn.staywell.com. You can earn a total of 200 points this campaign year.
Complete the Core Actions to earn $100
If you haven't completed a biometric screening this campaign year, now's the time!
Get a screening from your health care provider by June 30, 2016, and submit your biometric screening documentation form by July 15, 2016; then take the online Health Assessment by August 31, 2016, to earn $100.
Earn up to $80 extra for Bonus Actions
If you're almost there, go all the way!
Complete a Level 1 health screening or a Level 2 health screening by June 30 and submit your Bonus Action proof form by August 31, 2016. You can also complete qualifying on-campus wellness programs, StayWell online health programs, or three (3) Family Food nutrition counseling sessions to earn points through August 31, 2016.
Visit Be in the Know for a complete list of Bonus Actions.
Questions?
Contact the StayWell HelpLine at 855-428-6324. For program details, visit Be in the Know or email qowl@hr.upenn.edu.
* All cash incentives associated with the 2015-2016 Be in the Know campaign are less applicable payroll taxes. You must be an active full- or part-time benefits-eligible faculty or staff member to participate. Incentives will be in June 2016, and/or September 2016 paychecks, depending on when you complete the Core Actions and qualifying Bonus Actions. The two Core Actions must be completed before any Be in the Know cash incentives can be awarded.
Healthy Meals: Taco Lettuce Wraps
With so many greens in season, a crispy taco shell can be healthy and delicious, too!
Find the recipe here or send us your healthy recipes and tips.
Did You Know? LUCY Shuttle Rides Are Free
You can ride the LUCY (Loop through University City) shuttle for free with your valid PennCard. This convenient transit service runs between 30th Street Station and University City Monday through Friday from 6:10am until 7:00pm.
Outdoor Break Poll
What's your favorite place for an outdoor break on Penn's beautiful urban campus?
Let us know. Take this quick Outdoor Break Spot poll and you'll be entered in a prize drawing.
We'll share the results in a future issue of myHR.