U joins campaign to encourage saving for retirement
(5/6/2008) The University and more than 20 other Minnesota employers are part of a new statewide initiative that helps employees plan for their future. Financially Fit Minnesota has the support of Gov. Tim Pawlenty, Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak and St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman.

To your health in 2008
(1/14/2008) Rewards are available to employees who go to a fitness club at least eight times a month or take or retake the health assessment.

A bigger welcome for new employees
(1/8/2008) An expanded new-employee orientation program will debut on the Twin Cities campus this month as part of a larger effort to recruit and retain a high quality faculty and staff.

Reward yourself
(10/30/2007) UPlan fitness rewards in 2008 will offset costs of membership in a fitness club when employees work out at least eight times a month.

Retool or refresh
(10/9/2007) Faculty and staff can take advantage of the U's wide array of professional and personal development options, from the Regents Scholarship to wellness workshops.

All shook up
(10/8/2007) Art Kistler works at the U by day, but by night he looks and sounds like Elvis. But day and night, he aspires to Presley's generosity.

The key is inside
(9/10/2007) The Successful Managers Leadership Program is one way the U is developing staff talent in its goal to become a top research university in the world.

Relocating support
(8/6/2007) The Relocation Assistance Program assists families of faculty and staff relocating to U campuses.

The path to merit pay
(7/23/2007) A highly consultative process has benefited University Libraries as they created their system for performance management and merit pay. Their efforts reflect the U's aim to reward high performance.

U celebrates sixth cohort of emerging leaders
(6/25/2007) Five projects by 26 participants in the sixth President's Emerging Leaders (PEL) cohort were presented in a celebratory poster session.

Bring the kids
(6/11/2007) The conference and visiting child care service lets faculty and staff visiting UMTC and UMTC faculty and staff attending conferences or overnight meetings across the United States or in the U.K. to find child care so the kids can go along.

Health Connections expands in 2007
(1/30/2007) Now spouses and partners are also eligible to receive rewards for taking the wellness assessment and follow-up programs.

A party for all
(12/5/2006) Often, people are uncertain about the best way to celebrate the holidays in the office, and this leads to two different types of mistakes. The first is to plan holiday celebrations that resemble Christmas parties in disguise; the other is to do nothing at all.

The key word is choice
(10/31/2006) Two staff members in Employee Benefits share their own processes for weighing health benefits options and making choices by the Nov. 30 open enrollment deadline.

Walk for wellness
(10/16/2006) The new 10,000 Steps program invites U employees statewide to boost their physical activity while enjoying the fall weather.

Finding satisfying work
(10/3/2006) A new one-day workshop combines several specialized workshops that help give a renewed sense of career direction.

Flex your time
(8/7/2006) Flexible work arrangements can increase job satisfaction and improve work-life balance. Here are five common types defined: flextime, compressed work week, job sharing, telecommuting, and reduced-time/part-time.

U hiring system goes online
(7/10/2006) Last month the Office of Human Resources went live with a new employment system that is entirely online, eliminating the need to mail, fax, or submit paper documents. Departments can post jobs, applicants can apply for them, and both parties can track positions throughout the hiring process.

Emerging leaders forge ahead in strategic areas
(6/26/2006) Over 200 people gathered June 19 to recognize the accomplishments of the 2005-06 President's Emerging Leaders (PEL), whose five projects focused for the first time on priorities from the strategic positioning process.

Health Connections is off to a strong start
(5/15/2006) Four months after the launch of the U's first comprehensive wellness initiative, nearly 8,000 faculty, staff, and family members are participating in Health Connections. And the feedback is positive--even powerful. It's not too late to take the assessment or to get a financial reward for enrolling in a follow-up health improvement option.

Spring into action
(3/21/2006) It's not too late to spring into action with Health Connections, a new approach to wellness. Two U employees talk about their experiences with the UPlan Wellness assessment.

Living close to campus
(3/7/2006) Faculty and staff can save time and money and get a healthy boost by living close enough to work that they can walk or bike. Architecture faculty member Ann Forsyth will give a free workshop about great places to live close to campus.

Review of a mini-conference on the role of student evaluations
(3/6/2006) How relevant are student evaluations in the practice of teaching? National consultant Raoul Arreola shared his expertise with about 300 faculty and staff members in a campus mini-conference February 23.

UPlan Wellness introduces Health Connections
(1/9/2006) UPlan Wellness introduces Health Connections, a multi-year, multi-faceted approach to wellness that offers University faculty and staff a financial reward for health improvement.

Career reflections at year end
(12/5/2005) The end of one year and beginning of the next can be the ideal time to reflect on where your career is going and think about how to take it where you want to go. Rosie Barry provides resources.

Open enrollment 2005
(10/25/2005) New medical plans. Expanded networks. A new prescription-drug program. New family rate structures. Cash benefits for participating in UPlan Wellness programs. Enrollment in medical and dental plans is required to have coverage. These are key changes in U employee health benefits coming up in 2006. Open enrollment runs Nov. 1-30.

Eldercare Initiative kicks off National Work and Family Month
(9/19/2005) The U WorkLife Effectiveness Program will offer a wide variety of programs in October, National Work and Family Month. The new Eldercare Initiative officially launches Oct. 4.

Take time to be active
(9/6/2005) The U-wide fall wellness campaign is a way for employees to start off the new academic year on the right foot, logging 2,005 active minutes by November 30.

Retaining talented U staff
(8/30/2005) U Talent Connection is a new program to provide a bridge between U faculty and staff employees and hiring units, especially those impacted by strategic positioning changes.

A great place to work
(7/25/2005) Employees stay at the U far longer than the national average. What attracts and retains a strong workforce? Four employees tell why the U is a great place to work for them.

Farmers market debuts on East Bank
(7/11/2005) Fresh fruit, vegetables, and flowers will magically sprout along Church Street (east of Northrop mall) on the University's Twin Cities campus in Minneapolis every Wednesday through August. The new market, part of the wellness program, joins local-foods initiatives on all the U campuses.

Summer destination: the U near you
(5/30/2005) U of M campuses are a major tourist destination in Minnesota. Summer is a great time for employees to reconnect with their U campus--or explore a new U location--alone, with friends, or family.

Teens on the loose
(5/16/2005) If you have a teen at home, summertime may be worry time. Here are some suggestions to help minimize stress levels at work by increasing the safety of teenagers at home.

Using e-mail professionally
(4/18/2005) E-mail is not just for convenience anymore--it's for serious business, from job offers to supervising. Here are some guidelines and tips for e-mail that's professional and works.

Life after work
(3/11/2005) Retirement planning means more than finances. Taking account of body, mind, spirit, health care, and independence are part of preparing, too. Seminars are coming up.

February finance workshops
(1/31/2005) Looking for more control over your investments? Free workshops for U employees can help beginners and seasoned investors.

Secret shoppers reward great service
(12/6/2004) Secret shoppers were the life of the party during Each 1 of Us Counts, a week to reward and promote great customer service provided by employees in Auxiliary Services units on the Twin Cities campus.

December holiday tips
(11/29/2004) Holiday parties in December--many offices plan them for all kinds of good reasons. But why add to the stress? Holiday parties may be painful for some. And even with the best intentions, any party in December can suffer "seasonal creep"--which means it becomes a Christmas party, excluding those from other traditions. How about January or February? Now that calls for a party!

Flu season office etiquette
(11/15/2004) Hacking cough? Aching muscles? High fever? Sidelong glances from your coworkers? Do yourself and your colleagues a favor--stay at home! In a year with a flu vaccine shortage, find out more about how to prevent colds and flu in the first place, how to tell the difference between the two, and what you can do if you get sick.

Minute Clinic opens in Coffman
(10/26/2004) The Twin Cities campus joins the list of sites where you can get fast screenings and treatments for common ailments, as well as a variety of shots--no appointment necessary. U employees are the priority group for service at the new site.

Benefits enrollment is online
(10/19/2004) No more paper. This year, U employees who need to make changes in their health benefits are completing all the forms by computer. If you don't use a computer, or if you need assistance, work stations are available at locations around the campuses and at the benefits fairs. Get tips for completing your changes by the deadline, November 15.

Take back your time
(10/18/2004) Despite promises of a coming age of leisure, Americans are working longer hours on the job now than in the 1950s, and mandatory overtime is at near-record levels. But a "slow revolution" is taking root. Take Back Your Time is a major U.S. and Canadian initiative to challenge the epidemic of overwork, over-scheduling, and time famine that threatens health, families, relationships, communities, and the environment.

Cubicles, copiers, and coffee pots
(10/4/2004) You're the supervisor of staff in an open environment--sometimes known as cubes. What do you do to help everybody get along? The guy who's really tall and makes others self-conscious every time he stands up? The two hard-working students who also play music too loud? The voice that carries perfectly for vast distances? Last month, a group of University of Minnesota supervisors shared some pet peeves, possible solutions, general guidelines, and resources.

Work, family, sleep
(9/27/2004) U.S. employees are working longer hours than ever, and 85 percent have day-to-day family responsibilities caring for children, a spouse or partner, or an aging parent or family member. Hear what U employees are doing to manage work and family demands, and get information about U programs and events during National Work & Family Month.

A warm Minnesota welcome
(9/3/2004) What will it be like in the winter? Each fall, new faculty and staff members relocating to Minnesota ask this question. On the Twin Cities campus, the Relocation Assistance Program offers support from cold-weather advice to a job-finding workshop for spouses. But it's up to everybody on campus to soften the climate for new U faculty and staff members.

Great front-door service for continuing education at the U
(8/30/2004) The U's College of Continuing Education serves about 10,000 students and learners each year and must provide great service to keep them coming back. After CCE adopted a service philosophy, it created an Information Center last December to carry it out. Today, the center's 11 staff members are paving the way in developing standards and continuous improvement.

Finding child care
(8/9/2004) While most U employees are gearing up for a new semester, some are also looking for quality child care. Finding care can try any parent but can be especially overwhelming with a first child. Find out how other U parents have met this challenge, including those who used the U-wide child care resource and referral service, CareQuest.

Managing at a distance
(7/9/2004) With staff members at sites across Minnesota, many U supervisors are learning new ways to manage effectively. Flexibility, communication, independence, and mutual trust are some of the key features of good long-distance management--and one result may be increased accountability.

Why am I feeling so stressed?
(6/28/2004) Workplace health impacts personal productivity and health significantly. According to one study, one out of six employees find their workplaces unhealthy, and those workplace environments account for 20 percent of total health care costs. If you are experiencing stress that seems to be coming from an unhealthy work environment, the Employee Assistance Program can help.

Please take your vacation
(6/14/2004) Jobs can be greedy things, gobbling up all the time we give them. Vacations are an important rest, recovery, and renewal strategy for creating work/life balance, yet a full 25 percent of U.S. employees don't even take the vacation they're entitled to because of job demands.