myHR: March 20, 2024

Don’t Miss the 25th Anniversary Models of Excellence Celebration

Join the University-wide celebration of Penn staff achievements at the 2024 Models of Excellence Awards Program Ceremony on April 9, from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. in Harrison Auditorium. The program will be immediately followed by a cocktail reception at 5 p.m. in the Penn Museum’s Chinese Rotunda.

At this 25th anniversary Models of Excellence program, Interim President J. Larry Jameson will join Provost John Jackson, Senior Executive Vice President Craig Carnaroli, and Senior Vice President of Human Resources Jack Heuer for the first time on the Harrison Auditorium stage to present 53 staff honorees with their awards. Musical guests, the Penny Loafers, will provide live entertainment.

Don’t miss Penn’s premier campus-wide staff recognition event. Register for the Models of Excellence ceremony and reception today.

This year, four teams and 12 individuals were chosen from a pool of nominees from schools and centers across the University for Models of Excellence recognition.

Honors are presented in three award categories:

• Models of Excellence
• Pillars of Excellence, and
• Model Supervisor

Each Models of Excellence, Pillars of Excellence, and Model Supervisor award-winning staff member will receive $500 and a symbolic award.

You can learn more about their amazing work at www.hr.upenn.edu/models. Better yet, see them in person, hear their inspiring stories, and share your appreciation for fellow coworkers at the April 9 ceremony.

Thriving in Nature This Spring 

Spring is in the air. That means it’s time to get outside and thrive in nature by participating in Penn Sustainability’s annual 30x30 Outdoor Challenge and enjoying some exciting Earth Week activities. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the average American spends 90% of their time indoors. Regularly immersing yourself in a natural outdoor setting like a park or field can reduce stress and boost your immunity, energy levels, and creativity. Increase your time outside the house or office, improve your health and well-being, and earn points during the 2023-2024 Be in the Know campaign year with these fun-filled activities.

The 30 x 30 Outdoor Challenge

This month-long wellness event sponsored by Penn Sustainability and Human Resources welcomes the whole Penn community to spend time outdoors, learn about local ecology, and appreciate the beauty of nature – while also supporting your well-being. The challenge runs from April 1 through April 30. Each day during April, Be in the Know participants are challenged to spend at least 30 minutes outside. If you achieve the 30x30 Outdoor Challenge for at least 21 out of 30 days and track your progress on the Virgin Pulse platform, you will earn 750 points for the 2023-2024 Be in the Know wellness campaign. You can also use the challenge's online chat feature to share your experiences and photos with your Virgin Pulse friends and colleagues along the way.

To get ready to earn Be in the Know points for this year’s challenge sign up on the Virgin Pulse platform. The deadline to track your progress is May 7 at 11:59 p.m. Data uploaded after this date won’t be counted in your final results. Please note that the platform will only allow you to enter dates for the previous 14 days. For example, data for Saturday, April 1 must be uploaded by Saturday, April 15 at 11:59 p.m. 

For more information about the 30 x 30 Outdoor Challenge, visit the Penn Sustainability website.

Here are two other activities to get you moving and motivated to go outdoors.

April Wellness Walk: This will be the first outdoor wellness walk of 2024 so you don’t want to miss it. Meet Penn Public Health and Human Resources staff on April 2 at 12 noon in front of College Hall by the Ben Franklin Statue for a two-mile walk. Register today.

Virgin Pulse Wellness Webinar: Thriving with Nature. In this webinar on April 18 from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m., participants will discover how spending time in nature can reduce feelings of anger, fear, and stress. Nature doesn't just make us feel better; it can improve our physical and mental health. Register today.

Earth Week at Penn

Earth Week at Penn will take place April 20-26. During this time, faculty, staff, and students can participate in cross-disciplinary events designed to educate and inspire action around themes of environmental justice, climate, and nature-based solutions. This year’s theme - Restore & Regenerate – will allow you to think about what replenishes and revitalizes our planet’s natural systems while building community. For a complete list of the week’s events, visit the Earth Week 2024 website.

Your school or center can register your Earth Week events for inclusion on the Penn Sustainability calendar. Submit an event to the Earth Week calendar using the Event Submission Form.

Thrive in the Great Outdoors

Nature doesn't have to be seen as a destination—it could be right around the corner. Green space is as close as your neighborhood park or garden. Community gardens, trails, parks, and open, natural areas are often a short diversion from your daily route. Birds, bees, and other critters are always nearby. Just take time to watch and listen.

If you need a break while at work, take a long stroll down Locust Walk or have lunch by the BioPond in Kaskey Memorial Park. If at home, consider a bike ride through your neighborhood or a snack in your local park.

Here are a few ideas from Penn Sustainability to help you take a break and enjoy the outdoors:

• Take your reading outside. Find your favorite shaded (or sunny) spot as you enjoy some literature.
• If you're on or near campus, use our Nature Rx @Penn map to find great nature spots near you!
• Take a photo that captures the detail of a plant or other natural object.
• Find a cool bug or plant, and try to identify its species using the iNaturalist app.
• Make a healthy dinner and eat outside.
• Take a scheduled call outside.
• Watch the sunrise or sunset for multiple days this week. Notice the difference in colors and hues.
• Bike or walk somewhere you've never been before. 
• Explore your own neighborhood or one you've been wanting to check out.
• Skip the gym in favor of an outdoor run, bike ride, or other workout.
• Relieve stress by gardening. If you don't have your own garden, look into volunteering at a community garden near you!
• Take a pencil and paper outside with you. Sketch what you see, write a poem, or just reflect on the day.
• Take a moment to notice the vibrant flowers blooming outside.
• Step outside, close your eyes, and breathe in the fresh air.
• Try writing a gratitude list while admiring the beauty of nature.
• Try Qigong, tai chi, yoga, or meditation outside.
• Focus on mindfulness while listening to soft music outside.
• Try writing or stating affirmations to improve your mood and uplift your energy outside.
• Find a relaxing place to sit and watch the birds, squirrels, and other natural creatures outside.

Visit the Penn Sustainability website for more details. For complete Be in the Know details, visit www.hr.upenn.edu/beintheknow. 

Year-end Performance Reviews Launching Soon

Starting April 1, staff can access the year-end performance review process to start their self-evaluation in Workday. Penn’s performance review cycle in Workday requires two reviews per year, in the fall and spring. The spring review comprises a look back at a 12-month period to review goals, feedback questions, competencies, and professional development.

The performance review, which is required for every Penn staff member, is an ideal opportunity for staff and managers to start or continue conversations about career growth and talent development. Workday gives staff members a tool for documenting and sharing their goals, achievements, and challenges along with their performance review meetings. Taking the time for these discussions shows the importance of the individual and individual’s job to the success of the team, department, school or center, and Penn’s mission.

The deadline to complete the review is June 7, so you and your manager will have sufficient time to complete the process.

Getting Ready: What You Can Do Now

• Here are some activities to help you get ready to complete your upcoming reviews.
• Plan to complete the self-evaluation well in advance of the June 7 deadline to provide time for the manager evaluation and the performance review meeting. Individual schools and centers may communicate a more specific interim deadline.
• Review the Workday Performance Management Guide for links to more detail and how-to resources.
• Schedule a performance review meeting with your manager and each staff member who reports to you.
• Begin talking with your manager about goal management to kick off the annual performance review cycle for FY25. Goals can be modified or entered in your Workday profile at any time. See the Goals and Performance tip sheet.
• Consider using the optional Workday check-in feature to document some of your regularly scheduled meetings or project updates with your manager.

When you log in to Workday starting on April 1, you will see links to the year-end performance review in the Awaiting Your Action section of the homepage.

Rating Competencies and Performance

The year-end review process requires ratings for each of the 10 competencies as well as for overall performance. The staff member provides these ratings in the self-evaluation, then the manager will provide ratings during the manager evaluation.

The University uses a robust set of competencies in performance management. Each staff member has 10 competencies: five are common to everyone as University-required competencies and five are related to an individual’s job family. Competencies are observable and measurable skills and behaviors that contribute to workplace effectiveness and career success. The ratings for each of the competencies has a three-point scale:

• Needs Improvement
• Meets Expectations
• Exceeds Expectations

The rating for overall performance has four options:

• Does not meet expectations—Did not meet most goals and/or often fell short of standards for timeliness, quality, and/or resource utilization.
• Meets some but not all expectations—Acceptable performance overall, though did not meet some goals or sometimes fell short of standards for timeliness, quality, and/or resource utilization.
• Fulfills expectations—Successfully met all goals, consistently meeting standards for timeliness, quality, and/or resource utilization.
• Exceeds expectations—Successfully met all goals and regularly surpassed standards for timeliness, quality, and/or resource utilization.

To learn more, register for one of these upcoming virtual information sessions:

• Participating in Performance Appraisals for Staff, April 10 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.
• Conducting Performance Appraisals for Supervisors, April 12, 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.

If you have questions or would like more information, please contact the Penn Employee Solution Center online, by email at solutioncenter@upenn.edu, or by phone at 215-898-7372.

Take Our Children to Work Day Is April 25

Since 2019, Heather Isbell Schumacher, Architectural Archivist in the Stuart Weitzman School of Design, has been collaborating with her colleagues at the Materials Library in Fisher Fine Arts to create exciting and memorable activities for Penn’s annual Take Our Children to Work Day event. She started bringing her daughter Lena to the event five years ago and this year looks forward to having her youngest daughter Hazel come on campus as well.

“I think it’s interesting for my kids to see a variety of things that people do here at Penn, and that they could do,” Schumacher says.

“What I do is kind of abstract to them and they don’t really get it. This event makes my job visible and tangible to them and it brings us closer together,” she adds. 

This year, Take Our Children to Work Day will be held on April 25. The event is an opportunity for youth to receive enriching hands-on experiences in Penn’s innovative, diverse working environments through an array of activities and programs. The event is geared towards children ages 9-15, offering age-appropriate academic learning activities, although children of any age are welcome to attend.

You can see all of this year’s activities on the Division of Human Resources Take Our Children to Work Day webpage. Participants can sample a variety of fields from athletics to robotics. Plus, each child can get a souvenir PennCard with their photo.

Reflecting on last year’s event, Schumacher says, “Lena loved going to get her PennCard made and the kite flying, and engineering activities. We also did ice skating and took the art and architecture tour in the Fisher Fine Arts Library.”

Paula Leahy, Research Assistant Phlebotomist in Penn Medicine’s Department of Dermatology, says her daughters Mackenzie and Haley took a special interest in the Nursing School’s “Hands-on Fun with Simulated Patients” activity when they attend last year’s event.

“They absolutely loved it. We also did the walk at the BioPond, Boba Tea Making, and had lunch at Franklin Square. There are just so many fun activities for these kids to see and learn. It’s just a wonderful experience so I asked them if they had the opportunity to do it again this year would they, and they said absolutely,” Leahy says. 

Schools, departments, and groups across Penn are collaborating to offer dozens of developmental activities for your children this year. Advanced registration is required and opens on Monday, April 1 at 9 a.m. Here are just a few of the activities you can enjoy:

• Play homemade carnival games at the Penn Library with booths based on famous literature.
• Meet a registered dietitian to learn about how they turn the science of nutrition into easy-to-understand information and experience a no-cook cooking demo.
• Play 9-square and lawn games, participate in a fitness obstacle course, and shoot baskets with the Division of Recreation and Intercollegiate Athletics.
• Participate in an interactive session and explore the use of task trainers and manikins with the School of Nursing. 
• Explore physical phenomena at David Rittenhouse Laboratory.  From rainbows to telescopes, and so much more, the physics and astronomy department will be hosting hands-on activities.
• Learn about earning, saving, spending, and giving money with the Division of Finance.
• Attend sessions at the Pennovation Works complex featuring robots, a demo from the Penn Vet Working Dogs, and other fun activities.

During this entertaining day, participants can also enjoy the Penn Relays, explore the Penn Museum, go backstage at Penn Live Arts, skate at Penn’s Ice Rink, enjoy expanded offerings from Penn Engineering such as learning about Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering through ice cream making, and much more.

Sessions include activities in three different categories. Get to Know Penn’s Campus and Wellness Activities are both primarily open registration, unless otherwise indicated, and you and the children may attend as many as you like. Youth and their sponsors may attend one Special Topic activity only. Mark your calendar to register on April 1, because space is limited for certain events.

Supervisor approval is required for staff, faculty, and postdocs to attend activities. Participating staff must accompany children to all activities, so be sure to work with your supervisor to ensure coverage for operational needs. 

Erica Lu, Head of Global Studies Technical Services at Van Pelt-Dietrich Library, says she looks forward to bringing her daughter Serena back again this year.

“Take Our Children to Work Day is a fun experience for the kids, and they can feel proud about where we work, but it also increases the integrity of the University and incorporates the University’s core values of inclusiveness because it shows Penn values not just us, but our family members as well,” Lu says. 

Get a Handle on Your Time and Energy

Outside science fiction, there’s no way to create more time or energy. However, we can control how we handle these most precious resources and manage their flow in our lives. Real-world strategies for better time and energy management can help you meet your most valued goals without feeling overwhelmed or stressed. Learn how at Penn’s virtual workshop, Time and Energy Management: Ideas for Sustainable Life Balance, on April 25 from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.

During this interactive workshop you’ll do activities, including a personal energy assessment to help identify the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual things that provide energy or cause us to be drained

Time and Energy Management covers these essential skills: 

• Time management and prioritization. By exercising control over the amount of time you spend on activities and arranging tasks in order of importance, you can increase your effectiveness, efficiency, and productivity.
• Workflow systems and the 1-3-5 to-do list rule. What process or method do you use to accomplish tasks? The 1-3-5 rule allows you to create a list that includes one big activity, three medium-sized activities, and five small activities so that you can optimize your efforts. 
• Energy management and how it relates to work-life balance. Energy is the ability to do work or perform a task. We must examine how best to spend our energy and how to renew it once it has been depleted

Register today for Time and Energy Management: Ideas for Sustainable Life Balance and find tools and strategies to optimize your efforts

For more information about Penn’s Talent Development programs, visit the Learn and Grow webpages on the HR website.

Penn Student Loan Management Service Continues to Change Lives

When Holly Harner, a faculty member in the School of Nursing, received an email last fall about Penn’s student loan management service with PeopleJoy, she was skeptical at first.  

“I thought, I have so many payments left on my student loan I’m going to be paying on this until I die so I ignored it,” Harner admits

“But then I was talking to a colleague of mine at Penn and she said she had used PeopleJoy and that I should give it a try. I said okay, what have I got to lose.”

Harner was recently notified by PeopleJoy that after using Penn’s free service, she has received $80,000 in student loan forgiveness.

“This is absolutely amazing and life changing for me, my family, and my future. It’s just in time for me to start paying for my kids’ college tuition,” she says.

Like Harner, many other University employees have benefited from the free student loan debt service administered by PeopleJoy. You could be next.

To learn more about the student loan service, you can attend the Student Loan 101 webinar on April 10 from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m.

Through PeopleJoy you can determine your eligibility for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program. PeopleJoy representatives will assist you with navigating the application process, and advocate on your behalf with student loan providers. Participating employees will receive: 

Program assessments: Get help to identify the best federal repayment programs based on your individual financial situation.

Program enrollment: PeopleJoy will enroll you in the repayment programs, removing confusing paperwork and worries of missing enrollment or annual recertification deadlines.

Goals-based coaching: Receive repayment planning advice and coaching based on your short- and long-term budget, income projections, and financial health. Regular check-in calls are also available.

College financial planning: This includes one-on-one time with an advisor, evaluation of best college financing options, and other resources. 

Additionally, you can also maximize your potential loan forgiveness by getting credit for past payments. The Department of Education recently announced that loan payments that were automatically paused during COVID will count towards the 120-payment requirement under the PSLF program if you meet the other program conditions. The deadline to get credit for the paused payments is April 30, so complete a PeopleJoy assessment today to review your student loans and identify any additional steps you may need to take before the deadline. 

You can also visit the PeopleJoy platform at upenn.peoplejoy.com. You will need your work email address, Penn ID, and information about your student loans. Once you’ve filled in the required information, a member of the PeopleJoy support team will contact you via email to request additional information if needed, activate the service and identify next steps, or notify you if they are unable to assist you

If you have more questions about Public Service Loan Forgiveness, please review the PSLF FAQs. You can also visit the PeopleJoy webpage on the HR website. >

New Workday Feature to Explore Opportunities

The new Jobs Hub in Workday provides a single space for you to search and apply for open staff and temporary worker positions at the University, as well as access related information

Through the hub, you can

• Browse open staff and temporary worker jobs
• Access your completed and in-progress applications
• Access your referrals

Link to the worker's Career Profile, which is used to populate internal applications. If you maintain current information on your skills, experience, training, and interests in your  Workday career profiles, you can manage your Penn professional careers using Workday’s growing talent management capabilities.

Link to the Find Jobs for Penn Staff report, which is the way workers have historically searched for internal job

Students can access a direct link to the Find Jobs for Student Employment task where they can search and apply for work-study and student worker opportunities

To access Workday’s new Jobs Hub, click the Jobs Hub from the Workday Apps menu. The placement of the hub within the Apps menu may differ for each person

The new Jobs Hub replaces the Careers App on the desktop. The Careers App will still be available on the Workday Mobile App

For more information about the Jobs Hub, visit the Workday@Penn website.

Healthy Meals: Apple Walnut Salad

Welcome the flavors of spring with this vibrant apple walnut salad. Crisp apples, tender spinach, and crunchy walnuts are harmonized with tangy blue cheese, all dressed in a zesty blend of red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, and honey. Topped with fresh chives, this salad is a celebration of the season's bounty in every bite.

Click here to send us your healthy recipes and tips.

Ingredients

• 2 apples, peeled and cubed
• 2 cups of spinach
• 1 cup endive
• ¼ cups walnuts, chopped
• 3 tablespoons bleu cheese, crumbled
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
• ½ teaspoon honey
• ¼ cup olive oil
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• 2 tablespoons fresh chives, minced

Directions

1. In a large bowl, toss the apples, spinach, endive, walnuts, and blue cheese to combine.
2. In a small bowl whisk together the vinegar, lemon juice, mustard, and honey.
3. Add the oil in a thin stream, whisking to emulsify.
4. Whisk in the salt and pepper.
5. Pour the dressing on the salad and toss gently.
6. Sprinkle with the chives.

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: Be in the Know On-Campus Biometric Screenings, April 2-3 

Support your health and earn wellness rewards with on-campus biometric screenings on April 2 and 3 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Houston Hall in the Bodek Lounge. Advanced registration is preferred, so sign up for your appointment online at Penn’s Health Advocate portal. Be in the Know, Penn’s annual wellness campaign, is open to benefits-eligible faculty, staff, and postdoctoral researchers and fellows eligible for the Penn Postdoc Benefits Plan. For more information, visit www.hr.upenn.edu/be-in-the-know.