myHR Archives
myHR: October 5, 2016
No-Cost Fall Flu Shots on Campus
Penn faculty and staff can prepare for flu season with a free influenza vaccine at one of these convenient on-campus clinics.
October Flu Vaccine Clinics Sponsored by Student Health Service (SHS)
No appointment or pre-registration is necessary for these SHS clinics. Just bring your valid PennCard.
Tuesday, October 25 through Thursday, October 27
11am – 7:30pm
Houston Hall, Bodek Lounge
October and November Flu Vaccine Clinics Sponsored by Human Resources
Pre-registration is required for Human Resources clinics. Please bring your PennCard with you to the clinic.
Wednesday, October 26
9am – 2pm. Register online to reserve your time slot.
New Bolton Center, Alumni Hall
Tuesday, November 1
10am – 2pm. Register online to reserve your time slot.
Morris Arboretum, Widener Building, Upper Gallery & McLean Room
Monday, November 10
9am – 2pm. Register online to reserve your time slot.
Houston Hall, Bodek Lounge
Benefits-eligible faculty and staff will earn Bonus Action points for Be in the Know when they receive a flu vaccine. For more information, visit the Be in the Know webpage.
In accordance with the Affordable Care Act, Penn employees do not need to pay up front for flu shots and seek reimbursement from their insurance plan.
For more information about the upcoming flu season, visit www.cdc.gov/flu.
Penn Healthy You
Wellness has a new home on the Human Resources website: Penn Healthy You provides easy access to the programs and events that help you tend to your health and wellbeing. From Be in the Know and flu shots to nutrition counseling and wellness walks, you’ll find the information you need on Penn Healthy You.
What’s Your Financial IQ?
As part of National Retirement Security Week, Penn and TIAA are teaming up again to offer the What's Your Financial IQ Challenge 2.0 beginning
October 17. Don’t miss your chance to test your financial know-how and win a tablet computer. This year’s challenge also features all new questions, so whether or not you’re new to the quiz, you’re sure to learn something.
Visit the What’s Your Financial IQ 2.0 website for registration, rules, and frequently asked questions. All responses are confidential.
The challenge, which runs October 17 – November 16, is a fun, fast way to check your basic understanding of important financial topics, including retirement, taxes, health care, and privacy. Each day of the challenge, five new questions focused on a different aspect of personal finance are added. Every time you answer the daily five questions, you are automatically entered for a chance to win one of three tablet computers. If you miss a day’s quiz – don’t worry. You can go back and complete it any time until the challenge ends on November 16.
All benefits-eligible Penn faculty and staff can participate in challenge, even those who haven’t enrolled in Penn’s Matching Plan or Supplemental Retirement Annuity Plans provided by TIAA and Vanguard.
For more information about your retirement planning options and to enroll or make changes, visit Penn’s Retirement Plans website.
Work and Family Month Highlights
October is National Work and Family Month. This month and every month, Penn offers Work-Life programs to help you care for yourself and your loved ones. From new and expectant parent resources to details about paying for senior care, there are many types of events to choose from during Work and Family Month. See the full list of events and register here. Also visit Human Resources’ refreshed Work-Life website for easy access to resources that can help you balance work and your personal life.
Sugar Detox, October 6
Sugar has gotten bad rap in the media recently. Come and learn why. A Family Food Registered Dietician will help you identify hidden forms of sugar, how to reduce the amount of added sugars you consume, and will explain which sugars to avoid. Click here to register.
Penn Family Day, October 8
A celebration of Penn’s family of faculty, staff, and postdoctoral scholars, the special day is full of fun, food, athletic events, and other festivities. Visit www.hr.upenn.edu/familyday for the full line up of Family Day events. Order your free tickets online today. Tickets may also be picked up at the Penn Athletic Ticket Office in Weightman Hall, 235 S. 33rd Street.
Guided Meditation: Take a Break and Relax, October 11 and 28
In these noontime workshops, practice mindful breathing that focuses your attention on the present moment with kindness, compassion, and awareness. Self-massage and gentle movements that promote relaxation and reduce stress may also be included in these workshops led by Sandra Herman. No experience necessary. Click here to register.
Webinar: It Costs How Much? What to Expect when Paying for Senior Care, October 18
Sooner or later, everyone facing the difficult challenge of how best to care for an elderly parent comes up against the issue of cost. Most people are surprised to learn that a nursing home costs over $80,000 per year or that Medicare will not pay for long-term care. This seminar will review the costs of different care options, and explain how payers such as Medicare, Medicaid, veteran’s benefits, and long-term care insurance work. With this information in hand, you’ll be better equipped to make the decisions that are best for you and for your family. Click here to register.
Mastering Change, October 19
This workshop will highlight skills for coping, handling and managing change on a day-to-day basis. It will also cover adaptive strategies to anticipate and prepare for future changes and situations. Click here to register.
Wills, Trusts and Estate Planning, October 25
Join trust and estate lawyer Margaret Sager to learn about the importance of estate planning, managing your estate during life, and disposing of your estate at your death through the use of trusts, wills, beneficiary designation forms, and other planning documents. Click here to register.
Ted Talk - A Simple Way to Break a Bad Habit, October 27
Can we break bad habits by being more curious about them? Psychiatrist Judson Brewer studies the relationship between mindfulness and addiction — from smoking to overeating to all those other things we do even though we know they're bad for us. Learn more about the mechanism of habit development and discover a simple but profound tactic that might help you beat your next urge to smoke, snack or check a text while driving. Click here to register.
Mindfulness Monday: From Mind Full to Mindful, October 31
Mindfulness is “paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, non-judgmentally.” - Jon Kabat-Zinn, PhD 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. Click here to register.
Integrating Breastfeeding and Work, November 3
This interactive conversation, led by Diane Spatz, CHOP Lactation Program Director, Professor of Perinatal Nursing and the Helen M. Shearer Professor of Nutrition at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, will provide an opportunity for expecting, new, and experienced parents on campus, to get help with breastfeeding challenges, ensure a smooth transition back to work and academics and share helpful tips with one another. If you are breastfeeding, pumping and bottle-feeding, pregnant & thinking about breastfeeding, formula-feeding and curious about breastfeeding, this brown bag conversation is for you. This event is co-sponsored by Penn's Family Resource Center and the Division of Human Resources and is open to Penn faculty, staff, students, post docs and their partners. Please feel free to bring your lunch. Click here to register.
Caring for Customers — and Yourself
Customer service isn’t only for those in business or retail. Many positions here at Penn involve answering questions, assisting individuals, and providing other important customer services. Your customers may be students, faculty and staff members, patients, or members of the public. Some customer encounters can be pleasant, even rewarding. Others can be frustrating or stressful, for both you and the customer.
How do you effectively navigate these service interactions? It’s important that your soft skills (those skills that help you connect with people and positively manage the encounters) are at their best. Equally important but often overlooked is the need to take care of yourself and your self-esteem in stressful, difficult customer situations.
On October 25, 9am-12pm, Customer Service Boot Camp for Frontline Staff will give you strategies that will help you provide excellent service and take care of yourself. You’ll learn and role-play effective customer service skills, such as:
- Effective listening
- Restating to confirm understanding
- Asking for feedback
- Being proactive
- Being consistent
- Keeping emotions in check
What sets this program apart from other customer service training programs is the strong focus on stress-reduction and self-esteem, so you’ll also learn ways to effectively:
- Manage stress, frustration, and belligerent customers
- Recognize your value and maintain a positive self-image
- Feel good, even in the midst of very difficult customer interactions
If you want to work more positively and effectively with your customers, register now for this workshop. You’ll get the tools you need to be successful. Your department will be charged $75 when you register for this course.
Healthy Meals: Seared Salmon and Braised Broccoli
Reaching for the right food can lower your risk for breast cancer. This easy and tasty salmon and broccoli dish can help you get your fill of cancer-fighting food.
Did You Know? Penn Night with The Plough and the Stars
On Thursday, October 13, faculty and staff can enjoy an opening night performance of The Plough and the Stars during Penn Night at the Annenberg Center. Penn Night means a special 30% discount on tickets, a pre-show reception with appetizers and drinks, and the chance to meet new Executive and Artistic Director Christopher A. Gruits. The reception begins at 5:30pm, and the performance starts at 7pm.