Bell Seal for Workplace Mental Health 2023 Outcomes
In 2019, MHA launched the Bell Seal for Workplace Mental Health, the first national certification program to recognize U.S.-based employers committed to supporting a mentally healthy workforce. Over 276 organizations with a combined workforce of 3 million workers have been certified since 2020 at one of four recognition levels – bronze, silver, gold, and platinum.
Sourced from the aggregate data from all submissions, the findings presented in this report identify emerging trends and help Bell Seal recipients and all employers benchmark their workplace mental health efforts and progress.
2023 Bell Seal Program Highlights
In 2023, 169 employers completed a 58-criteria application, evaluating organizational policies and practices impacting worker mental health outcomes, including culture, benefits, compliance, and wellness programs. Employers with Bell Seal certification understand that time, intention, investment, and collaboration at all organizational levels are needed to support workers’ mental health and well-being.
- Only 1 in 4 employers meet the standards for Bell Seal certification. Of the 520 employers that completed the pre-assessment in the past year, only 24% qualified for certification at any recognition level.
- Bell Seal recipients are leading the workplace mental health movement by considering all dimensions of workers’ well-being. Recipients scored an average of 87% (n=169), compared to the average pre-assessment score of 36% (n=520).
- Recipients focus on involving leadership and improving people management to foster an open and collaborative workplace culture. Recipients scored a remarkable average of 95% in workplace culture, compared to the pre-assessment score of 28%.
- Recipients offer generous benefits, like equitable compensation, accessible health plans, and robust employee assistance programs, for full- and part-time workers and their families. Recipients scored an average of 75% in benefits, compared to the pre-assessment score of 34%.
- Recipients promote practices rooted in protecting workers’ psychological health, such as supporting workers’ quality of life and improving responses to trauma and crises in the workplace. Recipients scored an average of 88% in compliance, compared to the pre-assessment score of 40%.
- Recipients implement innovative programs, like peer mentorship and employee experience navigation, to promote workers’ well-being. Recipients scored an average of 96% in wellness, compared to the average pre-assessment score of 62%.
Bell Seal Recipients by the Numbers
The 2023 Bell Seal recipients represent over 28 industries – from health care and the public sector to financial services and manufacturing – and organizational sizes, from three to more than 1 million workers, in 35 states. Workers who identified with one or more populations, including women, immigrants or first generation, LGBTQ+, people with mental health conditions or physical disabilities, caregivers, and veterans or active-duty military, comprised most of the workforce for 76% of Bell Seal recipients. In addition, AAPI and BIPOC workers comprised most of the workforce for one-third of recipients.
