myHR: June 12, 2024

Recognized Holidays for Fiscal Year 2025

The following holidays will be observed by the University in the upcoming fiscal year (July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025) on the dates listed below:

• Independence Day, Thursday, July 4, 2024
• Labor Day, Monday, September 2, 2024
• Thanksgiving, Thursday and Friday, November 28 & 29, 2024
• Christmas Day, Wednesday, December 25, 2024 
• New Year’s Day, Wednesday, January 1, 2025
• Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Monday, January 20, 2025
• Memorial Day, Monday, May 26, 2025
• Juneteenth, Thursday, June 19, 2025

Each year, the President, Provost, and Senior Executive Vice President assess the feasibility of observing Penn’s traditional Special Winter Vacation. Thus, the Special Winter Vacation granted to faculty and staff will be on December 26, 27, 30, and 31, 2024. If an employee is required to work to continue departmental operations for part or all of this period, the Special Winter Vacation can be rescheduled for some other time.

Staff members who are absent from work either the workday before a holiday, the workday after a holiday, or both days, will receive holiday pay if that absence is charged to pre-approved paid time off or to sick time substantiated by a written note from the staff member’s health care provider.

Vacations and holidays for hospital employees or those staff members in collective bargaining units are governed by the terms of hospital policies or their respective collective bargaining agreements.

Supporting Your Well-being with Be in the Know

In less than three weeks, Penn’s Be in the Know 2023-2024 campaign year will end on June 30. There’s still time for you to enjoy wellness activities and earn up to $300 in Pulse Cash rewards through Virgin Pulse and special recognition as a VIP, before the next campaign year begins on July 1. 

Be in the Know is open to all benefits-eligible staff and faculty, and postdoctoral researchers and fellows eligible for the Penn Postdoc Benefits Plan. If you are not enrolled on the Virgin Pulse platform, get started today at https://join.virginpulse.com/penn. All 2023-2024 campaign activities must be completed by June 30, 2024. Activities you can do before the campaign year ends includes:

• Biometric screening. An important step to learning valuable health information and the only required activity to receive Pulse Cash rewards. Complete a biometric screening one time between July 1, 2023 and June 30, 2024 to earn your first $50 in Pulse Cash and unlock earning up to an additional $250 Pulse Cash rewards. For remaining options to receive biometric screening credit, review the Biometric Screening Options 2023-2024 flyer.
• Qualifying Activities. Earn points towards rewards by completing any of these wellness activities, with rewards received after a biometric screening has been completed. Earn up to an additional $250 Pulse Cash by completing your choice of qualifying activities from the 2023-2024 Ways to Earn list. As points accumulate, you earn rewards for reaching certain point thresholds:
• 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)

All confirmed Be in the Know VIPs for the 2023-2024 campaign year will be notified by Virgin Pulse email by the end of August.  You must also complete a biometric screening to earn VIP status.

Remember your earned Pulse Cash rewards do not expire! Unspent Pulse Cash rewards will roll over into the next campaign year on July 1, 2024 and still be available for 2024-2025. However, points earned this year will not roll over. Your points balance will reset to zero on July 1, 2024. 

Whenever you are ready to redeem (I.e., “spend”) your earned Pulse Cash rewards, go to the Virgin Pulse platform’s Rewards page and click the “Spend” tab. Choose from three available options – Shop the Store, Get a Gift Card, or Donate it – and follow the prompts to purchase your reward. To learn additional details on spending rewards, go to the Be in the Know website and scroll down to “How to Redeem Pulse Cash Rewards.” 

Take Survey and Enter a Prize Drawing 

As we close out this campaign year, we’d like to hear from you about your wellness journey. Take the Employee Health and Wellness Month Survey on the Virgin Pulse platform and share your favorite wellness strategy to enter a drawing for a Penn prize bag. You can enter your response from June 10-23, with the winner selected at the end of June. 

Also, Employee Health and Wellness Month continues, so be sure to check out the wellness activities in the Events Calendar on the HR website. 

Get Ready for A Game-Changing Year

Be in the Know 2024-2025 will begin July 1, and this campaign year will have exciting reward changes that you don’t want to miss. In the new campaign year, you will earn $75 Pulse Cash for completing a biometric screening, $25 Pulse Cash for the online Health Check, and $200 Pulse Cash plus VIP special recognition for qualifying Ways to Earn activities – with a maximum of up to $300 for the 2024-2025 campaign year. 

So, get ready for a game-changing year from July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025. Watch for upcoming communications on the new campaign year. 

If you have questions or need assistance, please contact the Virgin Pulse Member Services team, using the Support buttons on the platform or visit support.virginpulse.com.

For complete Be in the Know details, visit www.hr.upenn.edu/beintheknow. 

Grow Your Skills with Workday Learning

Now that the year-end performance review process has ended and you contemplate feedback from your supervisor or manager, you may be looking for courses to help you improve your skills. If so, look no further than Penn’s online competency modules in Workday Learning. The Talent Development team first launched the courses earlier this year. Now, there are 10 more modules representing four different categories for you to explore. 

These self-paced courses include: 

• Drives Results
• Manages Conflict
• Interpersonal Savvy
• Builds Networks
• Attracts Top Talent
• Develops Talent
• Builds Effective Teams
• Business Insight
• Financial Acumen
• Tech Savvy

Each course takes about 15 to 30 minutes to finish and can be completed in any order. To access the competency courses, you can click on the links above or log into Workday and search “Penn Competencies” on the Workday homepage.

The full competency curriculum includes 38 courses. More modules will be added so that you can continue learning how to enhance your job performance and move toward greater success in your career. For a list of all the courses currently available, visit the Performance Management webpage. 

For more information on competencies, visit the Competencies for Performance Appraisal webpage. 

Make Everyday a Health and Wellness Day

Employee Health and Wellness Month is well underway and staff and faculty have the opportunity to participate in a variety of well-being events that support your health, provide a wellness break, and allow you to connect with your colleagues. 

Once June is over, how do you plan to continue focusing on your health and well-being? Whether your interest is physical activity, nutrition, or stress levels for yourself or your team, Penn Healthy You encourages you to keep the momentum going and explore ways to infuse wellness into the workday.

Think about easy, health-enhancing strategies to incorporate; ones that don’t require excessive time or create stress. With just a little bit of planning and focus you can make every day a health and wellness day. Even taking one or two steps towards wellness can have a positive impact on your health, mental outlook, energy level, and productivity. 

Research shows that there are many benefits to taking care of your personal well-being, and the benefits of creating a culture of wellness at work are just as significant. For example: 

• Our work environment and its culture can greatly impact our overall well-being and quality of life – how we feel, how we work, how we interact with others, and more.
• Social norms and health-related behaviors can have a ripple effect, influencing the people within that space. Wellness can be contagious and the same can be true of less healthy behaviors.
• What happens during the workday often trickles into our home lives, so having a good day at work can help us feel and be our best at home.
• A good company culture is one that values and supports its employees’ overall well-being. If you have the tools to thrive and feel better physically, financially, emotionally, and socially, you are also likely to positively contribute to the workplace. It's a win-win!

Getting Started

You can create a healthier work environment for yourself and your team. Start by choosing one wellness area to focus on. Here are a few ideas to inspire you or you can come up with a well-being goal that speaks to you. 

• Movement breaks. Getting enough activity throughout the day is always a worthy goal and supports well-being on many levels. Take frequent breaks to stand, stretch, move, or walk. Fill your water bottle, schedule a walking meeting, or walk to your colleague’s desk vs. emailing. If you can, use lunch breaks for an extended chance to move – walk, run, work out, or take a group fitness class at Pottruck if your schedule allows. “Sitting disease” is reaching crisis levels, so consider ways to move more. As always, see your healthcare provider for any concerns about physical activity.
• Healthy food options. A little planning time goes a long way when it comes to eating healthy on the job. As with all wellness goals, strive to make the healthy choice the easy choice. Keep healthy snacks and meal options on hand (and in sight). Focus on options with nutritional value, including protein and fiber to support energy and keep you full. For office snacks, consider fresh fruit or veggies, nuts or trail mix, and quality protein bars. For a team lunch, include foods and beverages that are nutritious to sustain energy throughout the afternoon. If desired, include treats in small quantities.
• Mindfulness breaks. Just as moving physically is critical, so is supporting your mental health and emotional well-being. Step away from your desk regularly to take a few deep breaths and clear your mind. If able, step outside for a quick nature break for added benefits or do a mindful meditation to rejuvenate. You can incorporate mindfulness moments into your movement break to enjoy a full mind and body refresher. Also, consider attending one of Penn’s guided meditation and mindfulness workshops.
• Lead by example and provide support. If you are in a leadership position, encourage your teams to support their overall well-being, share available wellness resources, and strive to create a healthy work culture for everyone.

Wellness Goal Tips

Whatever goal you decide to set, please keep these tips in mind:

• Keep it simple – and again, make the healthy choice the easy choice. Start with low-hanging fruit by focusing on one small (and easy) step and build from there.
• Don’t strive for perfection and give yourself grace. Do the same for your colleagues who are likely trying their best.
• Use available tools to help you succeed, such as calendar reminders, apps, journaling or writing down your goals/tracking progress, wellness trackers, and Virgin Pulse platform.
• Tell a colleague, friend, or loved one to help you stay accountable. You may also gain a wellness buddy in the process.

For more information about how you can cultivate a culture of wellness at work, visit Penn’s Wellness and Work-life webpages.    

Let’s make wellness contagious!

Healthy Meals: Pistachio & Peach Toast

This flavorful treat from Eating Well is a great way to get an abundance of nutrients, including fiber, protein, and antioxidants. The wonderful blend of ingredients also creates a savory taste that will leave you wanting more. It’s quick and easy to prepare so it makes a great on-the go breakfast or serve it as a snack for the kids after school. This whole-wheat toast can also be enjoyed with fresh fruit or a healthy smoothie.

Click here to send us your healthy recipes and tips.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon part-skim ricotta cheese

1 teaspoon honey, divided

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 Slice 100% whole-wheat bread, toasted

1/2 medium peach, sliced

1 tablespoon chopped pistachios

Directions

1. Place whole-wheat bread in toaster.
2. Combine ricotta, 1/2 teaspoon honey and cinnamon in a bowl.
3. Spread the ricotta mixture on toast and top with peach and pistachios.
4. Drizzle the remaining 1/2 teaspoon honey.

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 Webinar

Penn’s free student loan management service has allowed University employees to erase burdensome debt by the thousands. The program continues with another Student Loan 101 webinar on June 18 from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. Representatives from PeopleJoy, a financial wellness benefits organization, will discuss how to get started using the service, government updates impacting student loans, loan forgiveness, and more. Register today. For details about Public Service Loan Forgiveness, visit the Student Loan Forgiveness Assistance website.