myHR: July 1, 2026

Penn Healthy You 2026-2027 Is Here

A new chapter in the University’s ongoing commitment to supporting the health and well-being of faculty, staff, and postdocs is here. Be in the Know is now Penn Healthy You – Where Wellness Begins. This program is now available, including the 2026-2027 annual rewards campaign and updated Penn Healthy You platform, powered by WebMD. While the name reflects a renewed vision, the core of the original program remains the same — delivering the trusted resources, meaningful rewards, and strong sense of community you rely on.

With Penn Healthy You, benefits-eligible staff, faculty, and postdocs will continue to have access to an array of programs, tools, and opportunities to support your overall wellness. Explore Penn Healthy You offerings, including resources, rewards, and partnerships.

Access Robust Resources

As part of the new campaign year, Penn Healthy You offers a wide range of resources designed to support every aspect of your well-being and help you stay engaged throughout your wellness journey:

• Comprehensive Resources. Explore a range of offerings that support your physical, emotional, and financial well-being. This includes biometric screenings, preventative care options, nutrition counseling, wellness events, and more — all designed to help you thrive.
• Digital Wellness Platform. Powered by WebMD, the Penn Healthy You platform provides additional personalized tools like the health assessment, health coaching, activity tracking, digital behavior change tools, RethinkCare videos, Content Hub, and interactive quarterly challenges — all available on desktop or the “Wellness At Your Side” mobile app.
• Expanded Opportunities. From new fitness center discounts to specialized programs like smoking cessation and financial wellness events, you’ll find more ways to engage with your health and well-being.

Earn Healthy Rewards

Penn Healthy You not only gives you access to a wide range of well-being resources, it also offers the opportunity to earn up to $300 in cash rewards each year through the annual campaign. Simply complete any eligible wellness activities between July 1, 2026, and June 30, 2027, and track your progress on WebMD’s platform to earn points and cash rewards. You must be registered on the Penn Healthy You platform, powered by WebMD, to earn rewards.

With the annual campaign’s simplified rewards structure, you can:

• Receive a $50 cash reward for every 1,000 points you earn through eligible wellness activities. All rewards are added to your paycheck and paid on a monthly basis, less applicable payroll taxes.
• Earn up to $300 in cash rewards annually for reaching 6,000 total points.
• Achieve VIP status by reaching 9,000 points and enjoy special recognition and perks.

Eligible activities include everything from preventative health visits and wellness events to tracking steps, completing challenges, and engaging with digital tools. It’s a flexible system designed to meet you where you are.

Enjoy Wellness Partnerships

Penn Healthy You is more than a program — it’s a community. This year, we’re expanding partnership opportunities to connect, collaborate, and support well-being across the University:

• Wellness Champions Network. Join a network of volunteer wellness advocates to help promote whole-person well-being and positive workplace cultures. Applications for the 2026-2027 year will be available in late July with a network start date in September.
• Penn Healthy You Teams Channel. Stay informed, motivated, and connected through a dedicated hub for wellness updates and engagement. Watch for details to join, available later this month.

Together, these efforts help build a culture where wellness is shared, supported, and celebrated.

Penn Healthy You – Where Wellness Begins!

Start exploring Penn Healthy You offerings and begin your wellness journey today! To learn more information about available resources, rewards, and partnerships, visit www.hr.upenn.edu/pennhealthyyou.

To access additional online resources and earn up to $300 in cash rewards with Penn Healthy You’s annual rewards campaign through June 30, 2027, you must be enrolled on the WebMD platform. You can also engage anytime, anywhere by downloading WebMD’s “Wellness At Your Side” app.

1. Visit the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store and search for “Wellness At Your Side.”
2. Download the app and enter your connection code: Penn.
3. Register and personalize your experience by answering a few questions.
4. For iPhone users, enable Face ID under “App Settings” to bypass the SSO and Duo Mobile login process.
   

Whether you are interested in health and well-being resources, rewards, or partnerships – take the first step with Penn Healthy You!

*All Penn Healthy You rewards will be cash incentives added to your paycheck, less applicable payroll taxes, and will be paid on a monthly basis. 

A Mid-Year Financial Tune-Up Includes Your Retirement Savings

The middle of the year is a natural time to pause and take stock of your finances. Whether you've received a raise, adjusted your household budget, paid off debt, or experienced a major life event, changes throughout the year can create new opportunities to strengthen your financial future.

One area worth revisiting is your retirement savings plan.

Has Your Savings Strategy Kept Pace with Your Life?

Retirement planning isn't a "set it and forget it" decision. The contribution rate and investment choices that made sense a few years ago may not reflect where you are today.

Ask yourself:

• Have my financial circumstances changed since I enrolled?
• Am I contributing enough to take advantage of available employer contributions?
• Are my investments aligned with my current goals and timeline?
• Have I updated my beneficiary information recently?

Even a few small adjustments now can make a meaningful difference over time.

Are You Maximizing the Employer Match?

The University of Pennsylvania Matching Plan gives eligible employees the opportunity to save up to 5% of their standard pay per pay period for retirement, and Penn matches these contributions.* If you're eligible for this plan and contribute less than 5%, you are leaving employer matching dollars on the table. Reviewing your contribution election can help ensure you're taking full advantage of this valuable benefit. These employee contributions are tax-advantaged.

The Supplemental Retirement Annuity (SRA) Plan provides an opportunity to make additional tax-advantaged payroll contributions to help accelerate your retirement savings.

Take Advantage of Professional Guidance

Retirement planning can feel complicated, but you don't have to navigate it alone. TIAA retirement plan consultants are available on campus to help you evaluate your current strategy, estimate retirement income needs, and make informed decisions about your savings and investments.

To schedule an appointment, visit TIAA.org/schedulenow or call 800-732-8353.

You can also explore TIAA's Financial Essentials: Saving for Retirement resources for educational tools and planning guidance.

Review Your Investments

As retirement approaches, many people reassess how much investment risk they're comfortable taking. If you haven't reviewed your investment selections in several years, now may be a good time to determine whether they still align with your goals and time horizon. A TIAA consultant can help you evaluate your current allocation and discuss available options.

Make Sure All Your Account Information Is Up to Date

Life changes can affect more than your finances. Marriage, divorce, relocation, or other major events may mean it's time to update your personal information and beneficiary designations.

Remember that changes made in Penn's systems do not automatically update your TIAA account. At a minimum, log in to your account to verify that your name, contact information, and beneficiaries are current. For assistance, contact the TIAA Retirement Call Center at 877-736-6738.

A few minutes spent reviewing your retirement account today can help keep your long-term goals on track for tomorrow.

* Employer matching contributions begin in the month following a new employee's hire date.

Staycation Ideas

No matter where you go, taking time off can help counter burnout, boosting your mood and productivity. However, travel vacations aren’t always relaxing, plus the costs and hassles can sometimes outweigh the benefits.

Whether you have a vacation planned or not, you may also want to schedule a staycation for yourself. Staycations allow you take the time to purposely unwind and spend time at home and in your community. They allow you to relax, recharge, and explore your local area—all without the stress and expense of traveling!

Plan the perfect staycation with these tips:

Designate the time. Similar to how you would allot time for traveling, block off a weekend, long weekend, or even a week for your staycation. Request off from work; inform family members, friends, and neighbors that you’ll be “on vacation,” just as you would if you were traveling to a different locale.

Disconnect to reconnect. Unplug from work and daily stressors. Set up an away message for your emails, silence non-essential notifications, and commit to putting away your devices for periods of time. Be sure to let friends and family know in advance that your responses may be delayed so they don’t worry about you!

Plan your meals. One of the highlights of a vacation is cooking less and trying new foods. You can do that in your community, too! Choose restaurants you may want to eat in or take out from outside of the normal places you may go. Or if you want to spend part of your staycation whipping up some new recipes, grocery-shop ahead of time so you don’t have to spend your staycation at the store! (Need a new recipe to try? You can browse our collection of healthy recipes here.)

Choose—and plan for—your downtime activities. Are you planning to binge-read, catch up on your favorite TV series, or watch the movies you’ve missed throughout the year? Stock up on the essentials to ensure that you have plenty to keep you occupied in your downtime.

Create a playlist. Select music that will help you get into vacation mode. Play it frequently to keep up the relaxing vibes!

Create an itinerary. Decide how you would like to spend your time to make the most of the rest of your summer. Maybe there is a local park you’ve wanted to explore, a book you want to read, or a new movie or show you’ve been anxious to stream. Whatever you choose, make sure it is fun, makes you happy, and is something outside of your day-to-day routine. It can be something different planned for each day, or the same activity over a span of days.

Consider adding some of these activities to your itinerary:

• Take a day trip. Explore your own hometown and some of the surrounding areas. Perhaps check out a zoo or museum; go to a concert, show, or movie; peruse a market or shopping area; go for a hike or get on the water at a nearby park or lake; and much, much more.
• Try a new sport. Hit the driving range or give pickleball a try! Even taking your bike out for a spin is a great way to stay active and have fun.
• Enjoy a spa day. Grab your robe and scented candles and relax at home in your tub or comfortable lounge chair! Or visit a local business for a massage, pedicure, or other relaxing treatment.
• Make a DIY fort for the whole family. Gather pillows, blankets, and maybe even some small string lights to hang in your fort.
• Plan a movie marathon. Pop some popcorn, or make brownies, and get settled in for the night in your PJs. Pick a theme and choose movies that fit the theme.
• Schedule a game night. Dig out the board games, teach yourself a new card game, or put together a puzzle. Or play online trivia with friends or family virtually.
• Explore your city. Make a list of local attractions, parks, museums, or neighborhoods that you’ve been meaning to check out and be a tourist in your own city! You may be surprised by all of the hidden gems around you.

With a bit of planning and commitment to relaxation, a staycation allows you to hit the reset button on your mental and physical health without going very far at all. You may even find yourself returning to work feeling more rested and recharged than after a traditional vacation!

This article first appeared in Health Advocate’s June 2024 newsletter. It was reprinted with permission from Health Advocate. 

Brief Summer Pause for myHR

The myHR newsletter will take a short break from biweekly publication now through August 26.

During the break, the Division of Human Resources will keep faculty and staff informed about programs and activities through 3 Things to Start Your Week and direct email announcements. Human Resources may publish special myHR bulletins as needed to keep you up to date on workplace-related events and information that may arise before the start of the fall term.

We look forward to resuming our regular publication schedule soon.

Healthy Meals: Turkey and Veggie Sheet Pan Dinner

This vibrant recipe from Ramp Health gives you stir-fry flavor with sheet pan convenience that’s great for summer weeknights. Packed with lean turkey breast and crisp vegetables, this dish balances nutrition and flavor. Seasoned with garlic powder, paprika, and olive oil, it comes together quickly for a satisfying, wholesome meal that your entire family will love.

Click here to send us your healthy recipes and tips.

Ingredients

• 1 pound turkey breast cutlets or turkey tenderloin, sliced
• 2 cups broccoli florets
• 1 cup sliced carrots
• 1 cup bell pepper strips
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon paprika or Italian seasoning
• Salt and black pepper to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Place turkey and vegetables on the baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil.
3. Sprinkle with garlic powder, paprika, or Italian seasoning as well as salt and pepper. Toss everything to coat evenly.
4. Spread turkey and vegetables in an even layer.
5. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, stirring vegetables once halfway through, until turkey is cooked through and vegetables are tender.
6. Serve as is or over brown rice or quinoa.

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: Penn’s Surplus Property Listserv

Penn Sustainability’s Surplus Property Listserv connects staff and faculty to share and find spare items, promote BEN’s Attic listings, and discuss surplus property management. To join, visit the ISC listserv page, check the List Member FAQ, and follow the subscription steps. You can also email Noah Swistak at swistak@upenn.edu with your name. Please contact Noah directly for additional information.