myHR: February 23, 2022

Be in the Know Still Going Strong

If the recent taste of spring weather has inspired you to increase your activity or learn more about your health and well-being, don’t forget that Penn’s Be in the Know campaign is still going strong with wellness programs, resources, and rewards to help you feel your best.

The 10th anniversary Be in the Know  2021-2022 campaign year continues through June 30, 2022.

Be in the Know Basic Refresher

If you haven’t enrolled yet, sign up by visiting http://join.virginpulse.com/penn and get ready to earn your rewards. 

Start with the required Health Check, the only activity you must complete to receive rewards this campaign year. Complete this brief, confidential online questionnaire to earn your first $50 in Pulse Cash rewards. The deadline to complete the Health Check and all other Be in the Know activities is June 30, 2022.

Once the Health Check has been completed, you are now eligible to earn points and additional rewards up to $250, plus special recognition as a Be in the Know VIP.

With this year’s “Steps for Success” campaign design, you have many opportunities to support your overall well-being! As you complete any qualifying activities of interest, your points will accumulate on the Virgin Pulse platform. Your goal is to reach the next designated points total to earn your next-level reward:

• Reach 5,000 total points to earn another $50 (Level 1 reward)
• Reach 15,000 total points to earn another $75 (Level 2 reward)
• Reach 30,000 total points to earn another $125 (Level 3 reward)
• Reach 50,000 total points to earn VIP special recognition (Level 4 reward). You must also complete a biometric screening to earn VIP status.

Biometric Screenings at Home or at Labcorp

You can earn 5,000 points if you complete a biometric screening during the qualifying time period. While on-campus screenings have been put on hold due to the pandemic, participants can obtain a free biometric screening by using the Pixel by Labcorp Home Test Kit or the Labcorp Voucher Program, both offered through Virgin Pulse. To learn how to get your home test kit or voucher, read Biometric Screenings Made Easy.

More Bonus Actions

This campaign year, there are over 90 “Ways to Earn” activities you can do for additional points. A few popular activities include wellness checks such as preventative health exams and a COVID-19 vaccine, ongoing wellness and work-life events such as wellness walks and well-being workshops, and a series of fun and informative Virgin Pulse healthy habit challenges.

This spring, faculty and staff who are enrolled on the Virgin Pulse platform are invited to join two upcoming health challenges. First, the Rest and Recharge Penn Challenge encourages the Penn community to practice better sleep habits March 14-27. Registration opens on the Virgin Pulse platform on March 4. Next, the Penn Sustainability 30x30 Outdoor Challenge which welcomes you to experience the wellness wonders of time in the great outdoors April 1-30. Registration for this challenge opens on the platform March 22.

For the complete list of qualifying activities, download the Ways to Earn Rewards chart or visit the Virgin Pulse platform and select My Rewards.

How to Redeem Pulse Cash Rewards

With Virgin Pulse’s rewards program, you can redeem (i.e., “spend”) your earned rewards right on the platform, choosing from gift cards, fitness items, and charitable donations. To redeem your rewards*, sign in at  https://join.virginpulse.com/penn. Click the Home  button on the main page then select Rewards from the drop-down menu. 

On the Rewards page, click the Spend tab to bring up three categories of reward options:

• Shop the Store (buy select fitness items)
• Get a Gift Card (buy a VISA gift card or a card from available retailers)
• Donate it (make a charitable contribution)

Follow the prompts to choose the amount you wish to spend from your available rewards. 

Be sure to click Submit to confirm your purchase. A confirmation email will be sent to the address you used to register on the Virgin Pulse platform. You’ll need this confirmation email for gift card purchases and charitable donations. (Please check your junk and clutter folders, if not in your inbox.)

Although the 2021-2022 Be in the Know campaign year will end on June 30, 2022, your unspent Pulse Cash reward dollars will roll into the following year on July 1 and will continue to be available.

If you have questions, please contact the Virgin Pulse Member Services Team by using the green Live Chat button, found on the right side of the platform. You can also call Member Services at 1-855-920-2290, Monday-Friday, 8am-9pm ET.

For more information about Be in the Know, 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.

Deadline Extended for Booster Vaccination 

Booster shots are required for all faculty, staff, post-docs, and students. The deadline to receive a COVID-19 booster shot has been extended to February 28. Anyone who is not yet eligible for the booster by February 28 must receive the shot within 30 days of becoming eligible. Individuals who were previously approved for a medical or religious exemption from the COVID-19 vaccination requirement are exempt from this new requirement. For details about Penn’s COVID-19 booster requirement, visit the Vaccinations webpage.

Once boosted, enter your vaccination information into your Workday record. For instructions, download this tip sheet.

Those with an exemption or who have not yet uploaded their booster information to Workday will be required to undergo twice weekly testing beginning March 1. For more information about testing, visit the Penn Cares Testing Program webpage.

You can find details about Penn’s Public Health Guidance at coronavirus.upenn.edu.

Preparing for Expanded Career Resources in Workday

Penn will introduce new resources this summer that will help staff manage and develop their careers at Penn. This new functionality, called Workday Talent and Performance, is an expansion of Workday’s current capabilities in compensation, payroll, benefits, time and absence, and recruiting.

This new capability will go live on July 1, 2022 and will be phased in over time. It will use a skills-based lens to help reveal career paths and opportunities across the University.

As a part of developing Workday Talent, performance reviews will transition to the platform.  Information on skills, training, and career interests that staff provide in their Workday profiles will be combined with information developed during periodic performance reviews completed within Workday.

Based on this insight, the Division of Human Resources will be able to provide resources to suggest specific development and career paths, as well as connect staff to specific job opportunities at the University.

With this approach, staff can choose to focus on the necessary skills – their current skills and the skills needed to take the next step – to help develop their careers at Penn. 

Over the next several months, human resources professionals from schools, administrative centers, and central offices are advising the Workday operations team on the configuration of Workday Talent.

Workday Learning, which will launch in  Spring 2023, will replace Knowledge Link and house, deliver, and track job-related training content. This new learning management system will allow staff to use a single, familiar system that will streamline, and target learning based on job responsibilities, skills, and career paths. University learning management system administrators and training content providers, along with their counterparts at the Health System, are involved in this project. The Health System will continue to use Knowledge Link.

More details about Workday Talent and Workday Learning will be available in the coming months. For more information about these two projects , please visit the Workday website.

Give Your Communication Skills a Boost

The foundation of all relationships, whether personal or professional, is communication. It is the way we get to know one another and live productive lives. Effective communication is more than just an exchange of information. It’s about understanding yourself, the listener, the message, and its context. Learn how to improve your communication skills by attending the March 3 Art of Effective Communication virtual workshop from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Whether you’re trying to improve communication with your manager or coworkers, learning the right skills can deepen your connections, improve teamwork, build greater trust among your colleagues, and help with problem solving.

“Good communication is one of the most important aspects of effective work and work relationships, especially in this hybrid environment. Understanding what we bring to the table in terms of our own styles, and how that impacts others, as well as being able to anticipate the needs of others is important in all aspects of work.” says Amma Napier, Senior Talent and Organization Development Consultant, Talent Development.

“It is also important to know what medium is best given the circumstances, where we might be most likely to misinterpret others, and that conflicting ideas or diverse opinions can actually be healthy interaction and contribute to a better outcome,” Napier adds.

In this session participants will learn about:

• Different communication styles and strategies. Every individual has a different way of talking with others based on their style. Maybe you’re an introverted manager trying to engage with an extroverted coworker. Identify a person’s communication style, then use the appropriate strategy to enhance the conversation.
• Virtual communication. When communicating virtually be conscious of the intentions you ascribe to others. For example, if you are in a Zoom meeting and someone has their camera off, don’t assume the person is disinterested or disengaged. Avoid “attribution errors” by exercising empathy and asking questions. Also, foster healthy conflict in the hybrid workplace by setting ground rules ahead of time, encouraging different points of view, and focusing on ideas, not individuals.
• Two-way communication. Practice active listening by talking less and listening more. Listen in a way that gains the full meaning of what’s being said and makes the other person feel heard and understood. Also, ask good questions that explore an individual’s views, and avoid judgment. Active listening can help you tune in to your peers, appreciate their situation, and maintain productivity.

Napier says that at the end of the workshop, participants will be asked to make a commitment to themselves to do something differently. 

Register today for the Art of Effective Communication workshop and learn communication skills that will create better working relationships.

For more information about Penn’s Talent Development programs, visit the Learn and Grow webpage. 

Join the Campus Cup Challenge

Now that the Penn campus has repopulated, staff and faculty may be looking for ways to re-engage with colleagues, build comradery, and exercise a bit of fun competition. If that’s you, then look no further than the second annual Campus Cup Series, held on March 24 and April 21.

The Campus Cup was created in 2019 as part of the University community’s celebration of the 125th Penn Relays. Campus Cup inspires healthy interaction and competition between schools and centers. Through the two-day challenge, participants are awarded points over a series of games and sporting events. The team with the most points at the finish is crowned Campus Cup champion.

“Campus Cup is an event that fosters a shared experience and sense of community. After the last two years, it feels like we need these social gatherings more than ever,” says Rachel Howard, Coordinator of Business Development, Penn Athletics.

Penn staff and faculty are invited to register teams in the Campus Cup events – Dodgeball and the Main Event. You can register for one or both. Registration is open until March 4. 

• Dodgeball Tournament

  Date: March 24 from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

  Location: Gimbel Gym, Pottruck Health & Fitness Center, 3701 Walnut Street

  Details: Teams of up to 10 people will compete in the tournament. Teams that participate in this event will earn three points toward the Campus Cup main event. Penn Relays Quizzo, a trivia contest, will immediately follow, where you can earn extra points. Questions will be based on Penn Relays history.

• Main Event – Campus Cup

Date: April 21 from 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Location: Franklin Field, 233 South 33rd Street

Details: Teams of up to 10 members will compete for prizes and the chance to be Campus Cup champion. Activities include:

• 4 x 1 Race
• Tug of War
• Shot Put (Softball Throw)
• Potato Sack Race
• 3-legged Race

Teams can win prizes in each of the two events, including apparel, Penn Relay tickets, and more. All participants will receive a commemorative t-shirt.

Register today for the Campus Cup and enjoy some fun and games with your coworkers.

Snacks and soft drinks will be available for purchase. Family and friends are welcome to attend. Be sure to check the Division of Recreation and Intercollegiate Athletics Spectator Policies for 2022 Winter and Spring Sports for updated health guidance.

Healthy Meals: Black Bean Brownies

Black Bean Brownies are decadent, delicious, easy to make, and the best part is they don’t taste like beans at all. If you have a sweet tooth yet want a treat that packs a healthier punch, then this is the recipe for you. Black beans improve the nutrition of brownies by adding an excellent source of protein, fiber, and quality carbohydrates. Top with some fresh berries to complete this mouthwatering dessert. 

Click here to send us your healthy recipes and tips.

Ingredients: (Serves 12) 

1 15oz (440 grams) can black beans, drained and rinsed
½ cup (128 grams) almond butter (or any nut butter)
¼ cup (28 grams) almond flour
½ cup (170 grams) maple syrup (may wish to use slightly less if nut butter is sweetened)
1 tablespoon (15 mL) canola oil
1 teaspoon (5 mL) vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon each baking soda, baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
¼-½ cup (56-112 grams) dark chocolate chips

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (176 degrees Celsius)
2. Add all ingredients, except the chocolate chips, to a blender/food processor. Blend until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed.
3. Once smooth, stir in chocolate chips.
4. Pour batter into a greased 8x8 inch pan.
5. Bake 20-22 mins until an inserted toothpick comes out.
6. Store in fridge up to 1 week or 1 month in freezer. For best results chill overnight before serving.

PRO TIP: If you or someone in your family has a nut allergy, try substituting with sunflower butter which is nutritionally comparable to most nut butters but is made with sunflower seeds instead of peanuts or tree nuts.

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: Rewards for a Life-Saving Screening

Get ahead of National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month in March by asking your health care provider if you’re due for a colonoscopy. The American Cancer Society recommends that people at average risk of colorectal cancer start regular screenings at age 45. Be in the Know participants who complete and submit credit for this life-saving preventative health activity by June 30, 2022 can earn 1,000 Bonus Action points this campaign year.