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myHR: February 7, 2024

Take Our Children to Work Day Returns on April 25

Have the children in your life ever wanted to tag along with you to work? Penn’s popular Take Our Children to Work Day event is the perfect opportunity to honor that request. Take Our Children to Work Day will be held on Thursday, April 25, providing a day filled with exploration and inspiration for young minds.

Take Our Children to Work Day encourages and inspires youth while introducing them to future career possibilities. Children will learn about Penn as a top employer and an institution of higher education while having fun. This event is geared towards children ages 9-15, with age-appropriate academic learning activities, although children of any age are welcome to attend. All staff and faculty participants need to have supervisory approval and accompany their young guests to all activities. Numerous schools and centers will welcome children to visit and engage, so there will be a range of activities and programs to suit young people’s varied interests and career goals. Advanced registration is required and opens on Monday, April 1 at 9 a.m.

Penn is grateful for the support of our partners and collaborators from various departments, schools, and centers who host programs throughout the day. New and existing partners are welcome. If you are interested in hosting a program for Take Our Children to Work Day, please contact Cassie Paoli by Friday, March 1 at worklife@hr.upenn.edu or (215) 573-2471 with details, or to schedule a meeting.

More details on the day’s activities will be published in early March, so please check Penn’s Take Our Children to Work Day webpage for updates.

Move More to Improve Heart Health

How often do you move throughout the day or exercise? Are you doing at least 150 minutes of heart-pumping physical activity per week? According to the American Heart Association (AHA), only about one in five adults and teens get enough exercise to maintain good health. Moving, even just a little, can help you think and feel better, and improve your overall health, including your heart. What kinds of things can you do to start and keep moving?

The AHA offers these recommendations:

  • Move More, Sit Less. Get up and move throughout the day. Even light-intensity activity can offset the serious health risks of being sedentary. The simplest way to get moving is to start walking. It’s free, easy, and can be done just about anywhere. Taking a brisk walk for five or 10 minutes a few times a day can make a difference. While working, stand up and stretch, move, or walk for a few minutes every hour or between meetings.
  • Work Towards 150 Minutes. The ideal goal is to get at least 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity or 75 minutes per week of vigorous aerobic activity, or a combination of both. Moderate-intensity aerobic activities include brisk walking, gardening, tennis, and biking slower than 10 miles per hour. Vigorous aerobic activities include running, hiking uphill, swimming laps, and jumping rope. If you’re starting out, please check with your healthcare provider and build slowly.
  • Strengthen Muscles. Add moderate- to high-intensity muscle-strengthening activity (such as resistance or weight training) at least twice a week. Benefits can include stronger bones, muscles, and connective tissues; reduced risk of injury; increased muscle mass (which can impact maintaining a healthy weight); and a better quality of life.
  • Add Intensity. As you get used to being more active, increase your time and/or intensity to get more benefits. Even if you’ve been sedentary for years, set a reachable goal for today. You can work toward the recommended amount by increasing your time as you get stronger. To add intensity, moderate to vigorous aerobic exercise is most effective.
  • Focus on Overall Wellness. Physical activity is one of the best ways to keep your body and brain healthy, plus improve emotional well-being. Besides strengthening your muscles and cardiovascular system, it helps to relieve stress, improve mood, provide energy, and enhance sleep.

Studies show that being more active can help you live a longer and healthier life. The AHA notes these benefits of increased physical activity:

  • Positive impact on heart health including lowering blood pressure, improving blood flow and circulation, and boosting good cholesterol levels
  • Better sleep, including improvements in insomnia and obstructive sleep apnea
  • Improved cognition, including memory, attention, and processing speed
  • Reduced risk of weight gain, obesity, and related chronic health conditions
  • Helps with quitting smoking and staying tobacco-free
  • Lowered risk of heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, and other causes of dementia.

For more information about the impact of fitness on heart health visit the American Heart Association website.

Get Heart Healthy with Penn Programs and Resources

February is Heart Health Month. Penn offers many free programs, activities, and resources to help you achieve an active lifestyle and keep your heart strong.

  • Check out discounted memberships with Penn Campus Recreation! Full-time staff and faculty have access to a reduced membership fee until July 1, 2024. Learn more online or contact the David Pottruck Health and Fitness Center Membership Office at 215-898-6100.
  • February Go RED for Heart Health Wellness Walk
    February 14, 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. at The Palestra (223 S. 33rd Street)
    • Go on an indoor two-mile walk in the historic Palestra to step up your health and connect with colleagues. In celebration of Go Red for Heart Health, wear something red.
  • In-Person Yoga
    February 15, 12 p.m. to 12:45 p.m. at Pottruck Health & Fitness Center, Studio (3701 Walnut Street)
    • Join your colleagues for this basic yoga class and great introduction to starting a yoga practice. Perfect for the beginner who wishes to create a foundation and build from there.
  • 30-Minute Chair Yoga plus Core
    • These virtual chair yoga classes consist of moves to tone your abdominals, lengthen your spine, and strengthen your entire torso region.

For a complete list of upcoming health and well-being events, visit the HR Events webpage.

Be in the Know and Virgin Pulse Resources

Faculty, staff, and eligible postdocs can focus on fitness and heart health by joining the 2023-2024 Be in the Know wellness campaign, which continues through June 30, 2024. Through the program you can support overall well-being, earn Pulse Cash rewards, and participate in many activities, including team-based and individual challenges. Log onto the Virgin Pulse wellness platform to learn about Be in the Know programs and resources including:

  • RethinkCare videos – RethinkCare provides a huge variety of video sessions and courses under the categories “Meditate,” “Move,” and “Sleep,” which support heart health. Go to the Programs tab on the homepage, click “View All,” and scroll down to RethinkCare.
  • Journeys – Virgin Pulse Journeys are daily, self-guided courses to help you build healthy habits – and are found under the Health tab. These courses help you build healthy habits including reducing stress, eating healthy, getting active, and supporting heart health.
  • Coaching – Sign up for a one-on-one telephonic session with a professional Health Coach to receive personalized support and advice, plus stay accountable with your goals. To schedule your first session on Virgin Pulse’s platform, go to the Health tab and follow the “Coaching” prompts.
  • Personal challenges – Start a personal step challenge or healthy habit challenge and round up your colleagues to join in. There’s an array of wellness topics such as staying active, managing stress, and eating well, so check out “Challenges” under the Social tab and get started!

Managing Goals for Success

Penn provides you and your manager with Workday tools to track your job, professional development, and career goals. You don’t have to wait until the performance review period to set targets for your performance. Managing your goals in Workday throughout the year eases the effort during mid-year and year-end performance reviews. Here are eight tips to help you get started.

  • Define Goals
    • You and your manager should have ongoing discussions about defining and managing your goals. The SMARTS criteria will help you set clear goals. These goals may be different from the duties and responsibilities in your job description. Visit the Penn Human Resources effective performance management web page for detailed guidance and training links.
  • Enter Goals
    • Either you or your manager can enter goals in Workday. Your school or center may have guidelines for your department; if not, follow your manager’s instructions.
  • Stay Up to Date with Goal Notifications
    • When a manager adds or updates a goal, the employee will get a notification in Workday. When an employee enters or updates a goal, the manager will get a task to review and approve the goal.
  • Update Goals As You Go
    • Update goals throughout the year as objectives are reached. Use this best practice to strengthen your sense of progress and save time during mid-year and year-end reviews.
  • Know Why Dates Matter
    • During the performance review period, goals are automatically pulled into the Workday performance review for evaluation if their due date falls within the review period..
  • Manage the Team
    • If you are a manager, you can view all goals for your staff at any time by running the My Team’s Goals report.
  • Schedule a Check-In
    • Consider using the optional Workday check-in feature to document some of your regularly scheduled meetings or project updates. You can easily access your check-ins in the Performance tab of your Workday profile.
  • Learn More
    • Review the frequently asked questions as well as the goal categories on the Workday website. These will help guide discussions between you and your manager. For more help on Workday goal processes, consult the updated Goals and Check-Ins and Performance Management for Managers and Employees tip sheets. Take advantage of HR’s resources to learn and grow your career at Penn.

Future Working Dogs Need Foster Homes

A new litter of German Shepard puppies is scheduled to begin training at the Penn Vet Working Dog Center (WDC) in March. That means WDC has urgent openings for volunteer fosters to host the pups while they attend school at the Working Dog Center facilities.

WDC fosters help raise and train detection dogs who will go on to provide crucial services in our communities, including law enforcement and urban search and rescue. Foster homes play a vital part in the dogs’ health and development. The adorable puppies they care for may become heroic, life-saving dogs someday.

You can apply to be a full-time foster (commitment: 12-18 months) or a back-up foster (commitment: 6 months minimum). If you become a foster, WDC will supply all the food, crates, toys, and medical care the foster puppies need while you supply a loving home.

At 8 weeks of age, puppies are enrolled in the WDC Puppy Foundation Program for approximately 10-18 months. During this time, the dogs attend school Monday through Friday at the training facility at 3401 Grays Ferry Avenue in Philadelphia. Every weekday, fosters drop their dogs off at the WDC between 7 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. and pick them up between 4 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. The puppies stay with their foster families at all other times.

Working Dog Foster Family Requirements

  • You must be willing to follow WDC training methods and protocols and give your foster dog new experiences to enhance their environmental and social exposure.
  • You must be willing to give up the WDC Foster dog to their working career and handler at the end of their training.
  • The WDC provides foster families with all the information and training necessary to be a successful foster.

Fosters range from suburban singles to Philadelphia families with children. There are no home ownership or home size restrictions. Potential fosters should also consider the responsibility involved.

If you are interested in fostering a working dog in-training this spring or in the future, please fill out the PVWDC Foster Family Survey or contact Foster Program Coordinator Sarah Gally at sgally@upenn.edu or 215-898-2200.

STEP UP to Lead

If you’re looking for an engaging leadership development course with the flexibility to fit your busy schedule, it’s time for STEP UP (Self-Management, Teaming, Empowerment, & Professionalism at the University of Pennsylvania). STEP UP was designed with you in mind. The program combines instructor-led virtual training with online learning for individual contributors who want to lead themselves and others more effectively. Enrollment is open to all Penn staff through Workday Learning.*

The self-paced program consists of eight half-day virtual class sessions. Each session is accompanied by an online prework module which participants complete before the instructor-led class. These components focus on developing key skills such as utilizing strengths, creating inclusion, communicating, getting work done, teaming, dealing with change, and managing relationships.

STEP UP is structured to accommodate active professionals, so you can take as much time as you need to complete the program. While it is possible to finish all eight courses within two months, most participants take six months to one year. Unlike rigidly sequenced programs, STEP UP’s adjustable class order gives you more opportunities to meet new Penn colleagues in each session and expand your professional network.

The STEP UP sessions and modules are divided into four sections which must be completed in the order shown below, beginning with Introduction: First Steps to Excellence. However, within each section, courses can be completed in any order. Note, enrollment for the March 20 First Steps to Excellence session closes on March 6 and enrollment for the April 10 Communicating session closes on April 3. For a complete list of Spring 2024 program dates and times, download these enrollment instructions.

STEP UP Sections Spring 2024

All STEP UP virtual classes are held on Wednesdays.

  1. Introduction
  2. Foundations
    • Creating Inclusion
      • April 3, 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. or June 5, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Diversity is an integral part of the workplace, impacting all our daily interactions. Understanding all the dimensions of diversity represented at Penn is crucial to overcoming your own biases to achieve great things with your colleagues.
    • Communicating
      • April 3, 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. or June 5, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Diversity is an integral part of the workplace, impacting all our daily interactions. Understanding all the dimensions of diversity represented at Penn is crucial to overcoming your own biases to achieve great things with your colleagues.
  3. Core
    • Getting Work Done
      • April 17, 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. or  June 26, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
      As an individual contributor, you must be able to effectively manage yourself and your workload before you can manage others. The “Getting Work Done” module will give you the tools to maximize your productivity and minimize disruptions to your workflow.
    • Teaming
      • April 24, 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. or July 10, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Teamwork and collaboration are must-haves in the modern workplace. In addition to traditional structured teams, today’s organizations are full of dynamic, ad-hoc, and de-centralized/remote teams that are complex and difficult to navigate. This course will teach you the skills needed to thrive and succeed in all these types of teams.
    • Managing Change
      • May 1, 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. or July 17, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. In a dynamic environment like Penn’s, we must not only be prepared for change but must also actively contribute to the success of any change initiative. This “Managing Change” session will teach you how to embrace and facilitate change in your professional lives.
    • Managing Relationships
      • May 8, 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. or July 24, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Getting things done or advancing your career at Penn requires a strong professional network. For many, creating and maintaining these relationships can be difficult. In “Managing Relationships,” you will learn the tools and techniques necessary to enhance your professional network.
  4. Finale
    • Preparing for Leadership
      • May 15, 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. or July 31, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. In this session, you and your classmates will have an opportunity to review and discuss the things you have learned during this program, plan for lasting change, and commit to maintaining a network with your fellow contributors.

*To begin STEP UP, you must enroll in the Introduction: First Steps to Excellence class. After completing the introduction class, you will be able to enroll in the next set of classes.

There is a $300 charge for STEP UP, which will be charged to your department. For additional details, download the STEP UP FAQ.

If you have questions, call HR Talent Development at 215-898-3400.

Healthy Meals: Dark Chocolate Avocado Truffles

Delight your senses with these Avocado Chocolate Truffles! Quick and easy to make, these dairy-free, vegan, and paleo sweets are a perfect Valentine’s Day treat. Surprise that special someone with a box filled with the confections or make them an elegant addition to your Valentine’s Day spread. Avocado is the delicious, nutritious secret.

Click here to send us your healthy recipes and tips.

Ingredients

  • 8 oz. dark chocolate, 70-85% cocoa
  • 1 small or medium avocado
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • pinch of salt

Optional Toppings:

  • cocoa powder
  • matcha powder
  • chopped nuts

Directions

  1. Remove the pit and peel the avocado. Mash the avocado with a fork until no lumps are visible.
  2. Melt chocolate with vanilla extract and salt until completely smooth. This can be done in the microwave or stove top, stir every 15-20 seconds until smooth.
  3. Stir avocado into the melted chocolate mixture until smooth and thickened.
  4. Place in the fridge to set for 20 minutes, or until slightly firm to the touch. (Can also sit overnight)
  5. Using a tablespoon, scoop the chocolate mixture into 12 balls. Place them on a pan lined with parchment paper and roll the balls between your palms to create a smooth surface.
  6. Roll in any desired topping and serve.

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 Ramp Health Nutrition Counseling Sign Up Form or call 800-484-7720.

Did You Know: Student Loan Forgiveness Resources

Penn’s free student loan management service continues with the 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. Student Loan 101 webinars on February 14 and April 10. Human Resources also offers the Take Charge of Your Student Loans: Learn about Public Service Loan Forgiveness workshop on February 20 from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. For more information about Public Service Loan Forgiveness, review the PSLF FAQs and visit the PeopleJoy webpage.