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Staff Engagement

At Penn GSE, we’re dedicated to building a welcoming and supportive community where every employee feels valued and included. We prioritize diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging, and are committed to supporting employee wellness with resources and programs that nurture both professional and personal growth.

Below are some of the various ways we engage with staff at GSE, ranging in topics and formats, to support a productive and positive working environment. We also encourage participating in the broader staff community across Penn.

Chat Channels on Microsoft Teams

Join the GSE All Staff & Faculty Team on Microsoft Teams, our school-wide collaboration and productivity tool for our flexible working culture.

This platfrom can enhance communicatiton, knowledge management, and relationship-building within your team and across teams at GSE. Features include private and group chats, audio and video calls, file-sharing, and a variety of app integrations, and more.

Please note that this team is only for regular staff (not temporary or student workers) and faculty members at GSE.


How to Join:

  1. Log into https://teams.microsoft.com
  2. Click on the "Teams" icon on the screen’s left side
  3. Click "Join or Create Team" in the upper right corner
  4. Choose "Join a Team with a Code" and enter xc9f9sl
  5. We recommend setting your channel notifications to "banner and feed” (learn more about managing notifications here)

Current Channels:

  • General - general conversations that may not fit into the specific subchannels
  • Inclusion & Belonging
  • HR Updates & Tips
  • GSE Job Postings - announcements of newly posted staff posiitons
  • IT Updates & Tips
  • Recommendations - for those seeking recommendations on different topics (providers, restaurants, etc.)
  • Music, Podcasts, and Books
  • Free Food
  • Buy Nothing
  • Parents Group - for parents of all stages (from expecting to those with parental responsibilities)
  • Pets of GSE
  • GSE Steppers - walking club (please email Olivia Farkas for more information)
  • Green Team - for those interested in supporting Penn's substainability initiatives (please email Kim York for more information)
  • Staff Managers - for managers with 1+ staff direct reports (invite only)

Depending on your settings and preferences, your list may look different. If you have questions or feedback, please reach out to Olivia Farkas.

Events

Coming Soon.

DEIB Communities for GSE Staff & Faculty

Led by Raquel Arredondo, Assistant Dean for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging (DEIB), our DEIB staff and faculty communities support GSE’s mission to foster a culture of belonging by bringing together our diverse identities, ambitions, and ideas.

Look out for details on how to join and participate in initiatives throughout the year. For any questions or suggestions, please reach out directly to Raquel Arredondo.


Feedback

We're always open to feedback on how we can better support our staff community. Please don't hesitate to reach out to anyone on the GSE HR team to share your thoughts. We also have a GSE Staff Meeting survey and a GSE Staff & Faculty Microsoft Teams Channel survey.

 

Contact Penn GSE Human Resources

For any questions, concerns, or additional information regarding Human Resources topics, please contact us.

 

Kate Hellings
Chief People Officer
215-746-3133
khllngs@upenn.edu
3440 Market Street, Office 355

 

Kristine Chin
HR Manager,

Training & Operations

215-573-8146
krchin@upenn.edu

3440 Market Street, Office 353

 

Olivia Farkas 

HR Manager,

Recruitment & Retention

ofarkas@upenn.edu
3440 Market Street, Office 354