myHR: January 18, 2023

Welcome Back from the President: Expressing Gratitude

Starting the New Year can mean setting goals, but it can also mean giving thanks to those who have helped us achieve those goals. In the spirit of expressing gratitude, Penn President Liz Magill wrote a message to the thousands of staff who are making the work at Penn possible. Here is her message: 

Undergraduate applicants to the University of Pennsylvania are encountering a new question this year. They are being asked to write a thank you note to someone they have not yet thanked and want to acknowledge, and to reflect on the experience. And this effort is catching. This fall, groups of Penn students launched gratitude projects, encouraging their classmates out on Locust Walk to write a thank you note, which they arranged to deliver. Inspired by our students and the start of 2023, it’s an ideal time to take on that assignment as a broader community: expressing gratitude.

There is so much to be grateful for, but let me focus on one group of people I have been lucky enough to get to know in my first six months at Penn. The tens of thousands of people who, every day, make this always humming place go: the dedicated and talented staff at the University of Pennsylvania. Each of us, no doubt, work to acknowledge and thank our staff colleagues regularly, but we cannot do it often enough.

All of us encounter our exceptional staff every day we come to work. Fewer of us recognize that this is a twenty-four-hours-a-day, 365-days-a-year operation. We have over 40,000 staff at the University of Pennsylvania and Penn Medicine. Every day of the year, at each hour of the day, some of our Penn staff colleagues are doing the vital work that permits Penn to do what it exists to do at the very highest level of excellence—enroll students and educate them in their chosen fields, conduct research, provide patient care, and serve the community and the wider world.

The last several years have made that work even harder, which is yet another reason to express our gratitude in words and action. So as we enter 2023, let us all take the time to express thanks to those who—among countless others performing essential work that keeps our University smoothly functioning—keep our buildings running, our grounds maintained, our classrooms and labs geared up, our emergency rooms open, our students coached and directed, our budgets balanced, our technology services functioning, our admissions files read, our dining halls serving, our rarest and most precious books and materials cared for, and our community safe. I look forward to all that we will achieve together in the year ahead.

-M. Elizabeth Magill, President

This message was originally published in the Almanac on January 10, 2023. 

Overcome Leadership Obstacles

Whether you supervise a large department or you’re managing a project for the first time, it’s crucial to know when and where to take different approaches to help your group meet its goals. When you’re a leader facing obstacles old and new, how do you know which method to use and when to use it to get outstanding results for you and your team?

Find the answers at the Adapting Your Leadership Style virtual workshop on February 7 from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. Join Talent and Organizational Development Consultant Sarah Joseph, and other Penn staff members for a discussion that will help you learn to recognize style differences and develop motivation approaches for a variety of employees and organizational needs.

Learning how to apply different leadership styles doesn’t mean changing who you are. The Adapting Your Leadership Style workshop invites participants to assess what works best for them, while understanding that leadership styles exist within different contexts.
This nimble and responsive leadership approach allows you to relate to others and guide them more effectively. It gives you flexibility to successfully evolve.

Register for Adapting Your Leadership Style and discover how to keep your group productive and engaged in ever-changing environments.

For more professional development opportunities, visit the Learn and Grow section of the Human Resources website.

Public Health Reminders for the Spring Semester

The spring 2023 term is in its second week and the campus is bustling again after a winter break where flu and other illnesses joined COVID in public health news. As the semester’s activities increase, please be mindful of these effective health measures from the Penn Cares team.

Vaccinations and Boosters 

Be sure to get your flu shot and your updated COVID-19 booster, if you have not already done so, and upload your COVID-19 vaccine documentation into Workday. Faculty, staff, and postdocs can find the latest University vaccination information at https://coronavirus.upenn.edu/content/vaccinations. You can also find available appointments at local pharmacies by visiting www.vaccines.gov. 

Testing 

COVID-19 testing is available on campus for the entire University community. View the current testing site hours. 

Masking 

Masking is always an option for anyone who chooses. Masks continue to be required in all healthcare spaces. Instructors may require students to wear masks as part of their classroom requirements and should indicate that requirement on their syllabus. Students are required to comply with the masking requirements established by their instructors. 

Traveling from China 

Travelers to the U.S. from the People’s Republic of China, as well as from the Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and Macau, are now required to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test no more than two days before departure. More information is available on the CDC website. For information on Penn-affiliated travel, visit the Penn Global International Travel Guidance pages.

Personal Behavior

Individual responsibility is key to help protect the health of the Penn campus and our surrounding communities. Stay home and remain masked if you are not feeling well. Additionally, be mindful of common-sense hygiene habits, such as washing hands and keeping surfaces clean.

Thank you for your continued partnership and support of the wellbeing of our campus and our community. 

For the latest University guidelines, refer to the Penn Coronavirus Public Health Guidance page.

Suspension of Normal Operations

It’s January and Philadelphia has yet to experience a significant snowfall; however, January and February are the snowiest months in the city. Though the University is always running, emergencies such as snow, hurricanes, and other severe weather conditions may sometimes result in the cancellation of classes or the full or partial closure of certain areas of the University.

The Senior Executive Vice President 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, schools and 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.

Penn’s Suspension of Normal Operations policy details the University’s operations in case a weather event requires a partial or full closing. The policy is under review and may be modified in the coming months. For more information about the current policy, please review the Policy Manual webpage.

New Human Resources Website Feature Is Here

The Division of Human Resources is giving your Monday mornings a boost with 3 Things to Start Your Week, a weekly roundup of news, events, activities, workshops, and other information. With this new feature, launched in early January, you can get up to speed in minutes with what’s going on around campus. Whether it’s a monthly wellness walk, Penn Quaker basketball game, tree giveaway, or seasonal sale at the Penn bookstore, 3 Things to Start Your Week provides quick and concise information about many campus activities and events giving you news that you can use.

The roundup lists three items every Monday morning and each one includes a link to detailed information. You can find this new feature on the HR website homepage near the News and Announcements section.

If you have an event or activity that you would like to list in 3 Things, please email hrcomm@hr.upenn.edu. In the future, you can receive 3 Things in your email inbox. More information on that coming soon.

Form 1095-C to Arrive in February

While you do not need to attach a 1095-C to your tax return, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) requires that Penn send the 1095-C tax form to certain benefits-eligible faculty and staff members. This form includes information about the health insurance coverage offered to you by Penn and information for each of your family members enrolled under your Penn benefits plan.

The 1095-C form will be mailed at the end of January and made available online beginning in February. To access your form online, go to the My Pay section of the secure U@Penn portal at www.upenn.edu/u@penn, then select “My 1095-C form.”

If you have questions about your form, contact the Penn Employee Solution Center at 215-898-7372 or solutioncenter@upenn.edu for assistance.

Healthy Meals: Squash and White Bean Sauté

Warm up your winter with this quick, savory one-skillet meal. Whether you use fresh or frozen winter squash, this cool weather favorite is packed with Vitamin A thanks to the carotenoids that give them their orange and yellow color. Simmer up satisfying squash with pantry staples for colorful, aromatic lunch or dinner that will brighten up your January.

Click here to send us your healthy recipes and tips.

Ingredients:

2 cups cubed butternut squash (fresh or frozen)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 cup diced white onion

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/3 cup diced tomatoes with juice

1.5 cups low-sodium vegetable broth

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 (15-ounce) can white beans, drained and rinsed

1.5 cups, packed, fresh spinach

1/4 teaspoons fresh thyme, chopped

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for garnish

Instructions:

1. Add the oil to a skillet over medium heat. When hot, add the onion and cook for about 4 minutes, or until they soften. Add the garlic and cook for about a minute, taking care not to burn it.

1. Add the squash, tomato and juice, and vegetable broth. Reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the squash softens and most of the liquid is absorbed, about 12-15 minutes.

1. Add the beans, salt, black pepper, red pepper, and 1 teaspoon of the thyme to the mixture. Mix to combine and cook until the beans are heated through. Add the spinach to the skillet and mix to combine as it warms and wilts.

Remove from the heat and stir in the Parmesan. Serve warm garnished with extra Parmesan.

Tip: This dish easily converts from vegetarian to vegan by replacing Parmesan cheese with a vegetable-based protein. For meat lovers, add lean Italian sausage.

Meet With a Registered Dietitian Today!

• One-on-One, virtual sessions you can schedule at any time that works for you
• 100% covered under many insurance plans
• Available to spouses and dependents
• Fill out the  Nutrition Counseling Sign Up Form or call 800-484-7720. 
  

Did You Know: Staff Mid-Year Performance Reviews Due January 27

Eligible staff and their managers should complete the staff mid-year performance reviews in Workday by January 27. For instructions, review the six-minute demonstration video in Knowledge Link or the Goals and Performance Management tip sheet. You can also visit the Workday website to access a Performance Management Guide, with descriptions and links to helpful resources.