UMass HR Insider—December 2024 | Volume 2, Issue 12

Content

REMINDER: Use Your Personal Time Before January 11 

As we near the end of the year, please remember to use any remaining personal time for 2024 before it expires.

• Use your 2024 personal time by January 11, 2025: You have until the end of the day on January 11 to use any leftover personal time for this year. After that, unused time will expire and can't be carried over.
• 2025 personal time: Your 2025 personal time will be available to use starting January 12, 2025. 

Please take a moment to check your balance and, if necessary, schedule some time off. We want to help you get the most out of your benefits at UMass Amherst!

Call for Nominations: The 2025 Chancellor’s Citation Award

We are excited to announce that nominations are now open for the prestigious Chancellor’s Citation Awards, which recognize individuals and teams who have made exceptional contributions to UMass Amherst. Each year, awardees are honored for their dedication, innovation, impact, and going above and beyond in driving excellence within our community.

In 2025, up to 10 individual and two team awards will be given to GIC-eligible staff members. The awards will be presented at a ceremony in April 2025.

If you know staff members who deserve special recognition, we encourage you to submit a nomination by 4 p.m. on Wednesday, January 8, 2025. Please be sure to review the nomination criteria and guidelinesprior to filling out the form.
 

We Are a Health Promoting University: Managing Stress for Positive Change

As the year comes to a close, it’s the perfect time to reflect on the accomplishments we've achieved and identify areas for growth as we prepare for the new year ahead. Balancing work and life can often feel overwhelming, but it's important to recognize that managing stress is key to achieving positive change, both personally and professionally. Fortunately, there are tools and resources to help, such as the LinkedIn Learning course on stress management. This course provides practical strategies to reduce stress, improve focus, and foster a healthier, more balanced approach to life and work in the coming year. By investing in these skills now, we can set ourselves up for a more fulfilling and productive future. Check it out.

Make Informed Purchasing Decisions with Consumer Reports—Free to All UMass Amherst Faculty and Staff

Consumer Reports provides ratings, reviews, recommendations, and buying advice for thousands of products and services. It is available on campus to all or off campus to UMass Amherst students, staff, and faculty with a UMass Amherst NetID username and password. Check it out.

Our People Are Here for Good!

"I love working at UMass because it allows me to connect with a broad spectrum of the campus community, fostering meaningful relationships across the university. It’s fulfilling to have a career that feels impactful, especially knowing our work supports faculty, staff, and students in turning cutting-edge research into real-world solutions that make a difference."

Mario Urena
Desktop Support Manager, Information Technology

Closing Reception for the Our Common Ground Worker Artist Exhibition

The UMass Amherst Libraries will host a closing reception for the Our Common Ground exhibit on Thursday, December 19, from 3:30–5:30 p.m., in the Science and Engineering Library, Lederle Graduate Research Center Lowrise. The reception is free and open to all, with refreshments and live music by the UMass Unions United Labor Chorus. learn more.

Your Learning Journey Starts with Workplace Learning and Development at UMass Amherst!

Elevate your skills and take the next step in your professional development journey.
New Supervisor Orientation
Are you a new supervisor or new to supervision at UMass Amherst? Complete this self-paced Canvas course to learn the basics of supervising and gain an understanding of your responsibilities, how to build positive relationships, provide feedback, set expectations with your staff, and more!  Enroll today.

Unlock the Power of Canva: Boost Your Creativity

UMass Amherst now offers all staff and faculty the professional version of the graphic design tool Canva. While Canva is intuitive, mastering its features can elevate your design work. Training can help you make the most of this versatile platform, whether for personal projects or professional growth, and the Partnership for Worker Education will be providing training in the new year. We invite campus staff to take just 60 seconds to let us know how you intend to use Canva. We will use this information to better customize our overview and training sessions for you! Take the survey.

In the meantime, you can dive in with these LinkedIn online tutorials to begin designing like a pro!

Canva Essential Training (Two hours, 23 minutes)
Canva: Designing Engaging, Accessible Presentations (One hour, 10 minutes)