myHR: December 15, 2021

Ready for Your Booster Shot? 

Are you ready to get a vaccine booster shot, but have yet to schedule an appointment? If so, you can make an appointment today at the Penn Cares COVID-19 Vaccine Booster Clinic.

Due to incredible interest and demand for booster vaccines, the University has added appointments for December 16 and 17 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and December 18 from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Gimbel Gymnasium in the Pottruck Health and Fitness Center, 3701 Walnut Street.

All Penn staff, faculty, and postdocs are invited to receive a vaccine booster. Due to supply constraints, only the Pfizer vaccine will be offered. 

Here’s what you need to know to schedule and get ready for your booster shot:

Sign Up for a Booster

To schedule an appointment, visit coronavirus.upenn.edu:

• Click on the “Schedule a Test or Vaccination tab” button
• Enter your PennKey to log into the scheduling system
• Choose “Schedule Vaccination”
• Read and accept “Consent to Vaccinate”
• Follow the prompts to select your appointment time. Be sure to select “BOOSTER ONLY-Gimbel Pottruck in the location field

You will receive a confirmation email when your appointment is submitted. If you are unable to get an appointment, please find the closest retail pharmacy offering COVID-19 vaccines by visiting vaccines.gov/search.

Bring Your Vaccine Card and Penn Open Pass

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that everyone ages 18 and older get a booster shot at least six months after their second Pfizer or Moderna vaccine or two months after their Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

Staff and faculty will need to bring their vaccine cards to the appointment. You will also need to show a Green Penn Open Pass.

Mixing and Matching

The CDC recommendation also allows for mixing of vaccine manufacturers for booster shots. Individuals who received two doses of Moderna at least six months ago and individuals who received a single dose of Johnson & Johnson at least two months ago are eligible for a Pfizer booster. The CDC issued Emergency Use Instructions (EUI) allowing Pfizer boosters for those who received a non-FDA recognized vaccine. Bottom line: the best booster shot is the one that is currently available to you.

Upload Your Booster Information in Workday

Penn is not requiring booster vaccines at this time. However, staff, faculty, and postdocs should upload their booster information into Workday. For step-by-step uploading instructions, review the Self Service: Enter Vaccination Information tip sheet.

Remain Vigilant

Follow all public health guidance and COVID-19 Workplace Guidelines to minimize any risk of transmission. Masking, vaccines, and avoiding large indoor gatherings remain the best tools to minimize transmission.

For more information about the Penn Cares COVID-19 Vaccine Booster Clinic, visit the Getting Vaccinated webpage or call the COVID Resource Call Center at 215-573-7096 or email covidresouce@upenn.edu.

Simple Gifts

While the holidays can be a time for fun, joy and excitement, it is also typical to feel overwhelmed. And while things have changed since last year, many people may still feel uncertainty as to how to celebrate, which can add stress to an already busy time. However, by focusing on what matters most to you and your family and letting the rest go, it is possible to reconnect to the happiness that this season can bring. Keep these thoughts in mind this special time of year.

Set your own priorities. As the onslaught of holiday-themed photos populates your social media feed, it can be easy to feel like you’re not doing enough or buying enough to keep up with your friends and family. But it is important to find the balance that works for you. Stretching yourself too thin with either time or money will only lead to more stress down the road. Perhaps set aside time now to come up with a list of things that are important to you. Do you enjoy driving around to see holiday lights? Add that to the list, but don’t feel pressured to go out of your way or spend extra money visiting a special light display. Sticking to what matters to you will help you enjoy the season and minimize potential challenges.

Establish a budget. It can feel great to give gifts to others over the holidays, but make sure you stay within your budget. Whether this means cutting back on who you exchange with or getting creative with gift ideas, it is still possible to be generous and think of others without going beyond your means. Check out more tips here.

Schedule time for yourself. It’s your vacation time, use it! Even if you are not traveling this year, it is important to step away from work – on-site or online – and do things that you enjoy. This could include going for a hike, baking holiday cookies to leave on neighbors’ doorsteps, doing some online gift shopping or simply watching a movie on the couch in your pajamas! The key is to take time to decompress and reset, which is more important now than ever.

Set your own boundaries. It is important to stick to what you are comfortable with when it comes to celebrating the holidays this year. It may lead to some difficult conversations with friends or family members, but you need to prioritize your physical and mental health and well-being first. Do not travel out of guilt or worry about asking any guests to follow your guidelines. It can also be tempting to go all out when we do celebrate this year to make up for what is missing, but continue to take care of yourself and do what works for you. Do not feel pressured to find holiday perfection and stretch yourself and your budget to the limits in the process. Recognize that this year will be different, and it is okay.

Boundaries and Substance Use

If you or someone you know is in recovery, struggling with substance use or at risk of addiction, please visit Caron Treatment Center website to learn more about the importance of maintaining boundaries. Caron, a Center of Excellence for substance abuse treatment, is part of all Penn health plan networks.

Take care of yourself. In the midst of everything else going on, continue to prioritize yourself. Find time to exercise and stay active – this can be a brisk outdoor walk or a quiet yoga practice in your living room. Continue to eat what nourishes your body. Do not skimp on sleep. And if you are experiencing challenges, do not hesitate to reach out for help. Contact friends or family or reach out to resources like the Penn Employee Assistance Program. You can also refer to the MindWell at Penn Guide to connect with a range of well-being services. This support system will help you navigate this unusual time.

Penn EAP Open During Winter Break

All Penn benefits-eligible faculty and staff have 24/7 access to masters-level intake counselors via the EAP.

• Call 1-866-799-2329
• Schedule an EAP appointment through Penn Cobalt.

Focusing on what brings you joy this holiday season will go a long way toward helping you and those around you enjoy festivities while keeping feelings of being stressed or overwhelmed at bay. Have a safe, healthy, and happy holiday season!

This article, Keeping the holidays simple this season, originally appeared on the Health Advocate Blog.

Thanks for the Gratitude

Gathering Gratitude participant Ambika Singh was randomly selected to receive a gift package from the Human Resources Work-life and Wellness team. Singh, pictured here, started working in the Penn Home Ownership Services Program at the end of 2019. She says one thing she is grateful for this year is stability:

As a young adult and new employee, I was given stability which I never had before. I was given an amazing work opportunity that improves the West Philadelphia community. My supervisors at Penn advocated for my pursuit in a master’s degree which led to my acceptance in the Penn MPA/ML programs. Penn pays the majority of my tuition; and I was able to purchase my first home in Philadelphia for myself, my little brother and my two dogs to live in--all during a worldwide pandemic!

Take a look at the other inspiring examples of gratitude practice that your colleagues shared at www.hr.upenn.edu/gatheringgratitude.

Monday, December 13 marked the start of the Penn Healthy Habit Challenge “Gratitude Journal” on the Virgin Pulse wellness platform. You can still participate in this Be in the Know 2021-2022 campaign activity through December 19. Simply log in to the Virgin Pulse portal. Click the “Social” tab on the main menu, then click “Challenges” and select “Gratitude Journal” to join.

You can also learn more about the benefits of gratitude practice from these sources:

Brené Brown on the relationship between joy and gratitude

Why You Need to Protect Your Sense of Wonder — Especially Now

What Is Gratitude?

Why Practice Gratitude?

Visit MindWell at Penn for more emotional well-being support and behavioral health benefits for Penn faculty, staff, and their families. 

Quaker Hoops for the Holidays

If you’re looking for family-friendly fun over the Special Winter Vacation, look no further than Penn’s Palestra. The Quakers will be in action for five games December 28 through January 8.

• Tuesday, December 28 vs James Madison – 2 p.m.
• Sunday, January 2 vs Brown – 3 p.m.
• Tuesday, January 4 vs Howard – 7 p.m.
• Friday, January 7 vs Cornell – 7 p.m.
• Saturday, January 8 vs Columbia – 6 p.m.

To help make your attendance merry and bright, the Division of Human Resources and Penn Athletics invite staff and faculty to enjoy the games with these special Winter Cyber deals for groups of all ages

• Buy one, get one Free. If you buy one single-game ticket for Penn Men’s Basketball home games from December 28 through January 8, you get one ticket free.
• Family 4 Pack. Take the entire family to the Palestra. Each Family 4 Pack includes four tickets and four vouchers for a hot dog or pretzel and a soda. There is a four-ticket minimum. Vouchers must be picked up in person on the day of the game.
• Free admission for youth. Children ages 11 and under are admitted free.

Before you head to the game, make sure to check out the Winter Sports Spectator Guidelines.

For more information and to purchase game tickets, visit pennathletics.com/tickets. 

Suspension of Normal Operations 

Although Penn typically never stops operating, emergencies such as snow, hurricanes, and other severe weather conditions may sometimes result in the cancellation of classes and/or the full or partial closure of certain areas of the University. The Senior Executive Vice President (SEVP) makes decisions affecting work schedules and class cancellations in consultation with the Provost. The University will announce a closing or other modification of work schedules through the following channels: 

• The University’s emergency information number: 215-898-6358 (215-898-MELT)
• Communications from the Division of Public Safety
• KYW News Radio (1060 AM), the City of Philadelphia’s official storm emergency center
• The UPennAlert Emergency Notification System (for University-related incidents and crises)

The University’s emergency radio identification code numbers (KYW News Radio) are “102” for day classes and schools/centers, and “2102” for evening classes. The message that accompanies the code number will provide the University’s operating status. Be sure to keep this information in a place you can easily access.

Even when Penn is officially closed due to an emergency, some essential services must still be provided, such as Public Safety, Facilities, or Penn Dining. Staff members in essential positions are still required to work as normally scheduled under these circumstances.

For more information, please review the Suspension of Normal Operations policy.

Managing Your Projects Effectively 

Like most professionals, you probably have a variety of projects to prioritize. Each requires a focus on defining the initiative, planning for the work, and monitoring the results. Finding the right methods to stay on task, work effectively, and make your deliverables can be a challenge. Effective project management is crucial to getting the work done on time and on budget.

Learn how to manage your projects well at the January 26 Project Management virtual workshop, from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. In this seminar, participants will learn proven tools and techniques to help you oversee initiatives to create success for you and your team.

Senior Talent Development Consultant and workshop facilitator Bryant Kuehner says one of the biggest issues that project managers face is “scope creep.”

“This is a term used to describe how project stakeholders continue to tack on different requirements or requests to the initial scope of the project after the project timeline has kicked off. Well-planned projects are beholden to very rigid timelines, and any amount of scope creep can interfere with the project’s successful completion on time and within budget,” Kuehner explains.

“Another common issue is a lack of planning. It’s easy to assume that the most important part of a project is the actual work that takes place, when in reality, planning is easily the most necessary component, and often the one thing that will make or break a good project,” he says.

In the workshop, Kuehner will show you how to handle these challenges by providing a practical overview of the following concepts in project leadership and coordination.

• Identify the key activities in the project life cycle.
• Understand the role of the triple constraint – the interplay of quality, cost, and time - in project management and apply it in determining project scope.
• Create a realistic project timeline.
• Keep projects on track by managing risks and effectively using a communication plan.
• Examine helpful tools for tracking timelines and deliverables.
• Capture valuable project lessons and use them to define and improve project management practices within your organization.

Project Management will also cover the dynamics of managing a team, creating a transition plan, and tools for celebrating success.

Register today for Project Management. Whether you’re preparing to manage your first major project or you’re looking for new perspectives on collaborating with partners on all levels to achieve outstanding results for your organization, you’ll learn strategies to become more efficient in managing your assignments.  

For more professional development programs, visit the Learn & Grow section of the Human Resources website.

New Virgin Pulse Wellness Platform Features

The New Year is just weeks away, so you may be thinking about ways to improve your health and well-being in 2022. Maybe try new healthy recipes, increase your workout time, or meet regularly with a nutrition professional. Whatever your plans, Virgin Pulse, Penn’s online wellness partner, will add some new enhancements and content to its platform to help you meet your health goals.

Starting January 1, 2022, Be in the Know participants will be able to access these new features: 

• Coach Messaging. Connect with a coach to get personal support to discuss many areas of your health. With coach messaging you and a dedicated coach can send unlimited, asynchronous messages in between your regularly scheduled appointments. To set up a coaching call, select “Coaching” under the “Health” tab on the Virgin Pulse homepage. Then click “Schedule a call” to set up an appointment.
• Social Features Landing Page. You can find all of the platform’s social features in one, easy-to-navigate place to foster social connections, engage in challenges, and find support and community groups.
• New Rewards Experience. The Rewards section will continue to live under the “Home” tab on the Virgin Pulse homepage. However, all rewards information will appear on a single page on the platform, providing easier navigation to view and manage incentives. You can toggle among tabs marked “How to Earn”, “My Earnings” (formerly Statement), and “Spend”, with easy viewing of your Pulse Cash rewards progress and balance.

  Once you have earned rewards, you can choose from three categories to spend your Pulse Cash* on the Virgin Pulse platform: gift cards, wellness items (such as fitness trackers), and charitable donations. Review the “How to Redeem Pulse Cash Rewards” section on the Be in the Know website for directions.

  In addition to these enhancements, you can also continue to enjoy platform updates from fall 2021:  

• Fresh health and well-being content. Inclusive and new content covers topics such as grief and loss, menopause, and diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• New nutrition resources. Content emphasizes nutrient-dense foods and honors cultural preferences while following dietary guidelines and evidence-based recommendations.

The Virgin Pulse wellness platform continues to offer a wide variety of health and wellness resources, including challenges, JourneysÒ, healthy habit trackers, and daily cards, plus the very popular “Whil” emotional well-being video courses.

If you have questions about the new platform changes, the Penn Healthy You team will host a live demonstration of the Virgin Pulse wellness platform on February 1, 2022 from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. Register today for the Virgin Pulse event. The demonstration will be led by Virgin Pulse’s Client Success Manager, Leah Beckwith.

Virgin Pulse Web support is available at https://join.virginpulse.com/penn.  Virgin Pulse Member Services is available by phone 1-855-920-2290 and live chat Monday-Friday, 2am-9pm, EST.

For more information about the 2021-2022 Be in the Know campaign, visit www.hr.upenn.edu/beintheknow.

*All Be in the Know rewards are subject to applicable payroll taxes at the time they are earned. Penn will process taxes on any earned rewards through participants’ paychecks on a quarterly basis. For the 2021-2022 campaign year, taxes will be processed in October 2021 and January, April, and July 2022 paychecks. All impacted participants will receive an email alert from Virgin Pulse prior to taxes being processed.

Healthy Meals: Spinach and Feta Whipped Yogurt Dip 

This super quick and easy-to-make dip is perfect for holiday parties or game day get-togethers. It will be your go-to appetizer to serve with carbs and veggies like toasted bread rounds or cucumbers. For a larger crowd, you can double or triple this easily and even serve it in a rye bread bowl. 

Click here to send us your healthy recipes and tips.

Spinach and Feta Whipped Yogurt Dip – Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups plain Greek yogurt

1/2 cup feta cheese

2 handfuls fresh kale

½ cup frozen spinach, water removed

½ red bell pepper, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

Juice of ½ lemon (roughly 1.5 tablespoon)

1 teaspoon olive oil

Salt/Pepper to taste

Optional: ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper; or top with red pepper flakes for a seasonal look

Instructions:

1. Destem kale and tear into small pieces. Place torn kale leaves in a large bowl and add 1 teaspoon olive oil. Toss and massage kale for a few minutes until tender (the leaves will darken and become softer in texture). PRO TIP: Place kale and oil in a Ziploc bag and shake/massage for oil-free hands.

2. In a food processor or blender, add Greek yogurt, feta, garlic, and lemon juice and blend for approximately10 seconds or until creamy. Add the kale and pulse a few times until the kale leaves are chopped into smaller pieces.
3. Transfer yogurt and cheese mixture to a large bowl and add drained spinach, diced red pepper and seasonings. Mix until evenly combined and adjust seasonings to taste.

4. Transfer to serving bowl and garnish with extra fresh red pepper, red pepper flakes, or feta. Enjoy!

Meet With a Registered Dietitian Today!

• One-on-one, virtual nutrition counseling
• 100% covered under many insurance plans and available to spouses and dependents
• Simple Sign Up Process – Visit Penn’s Corporate Wellness Nutrition’s Sign Up page, provide your information and a customer service team member will reach out in one to two business days to book your appointment.

Did You Know: Special Winter Vacation Hours

Human Resources will be closed for Penn’s extended Special Winter Vacation from Friday, December 24, 2021, through Tuesday, January 4, 2022. However, during the break many of our resources will still be available to University faculty and staff. Access to Penn’s Employee Assistance Program will continue 24/7. Other services may be closed, limited, or operating on modified schedules on December 24 and 25, 2021 and January 1, 2022. See the online schedule for details.