Our Executive Director, Shannah Mulvihill, visited with a number of Congressional offices in Washington, D.C. in February 2020, and also attended a Mental Health America Conference (MHA) to learn about the Bell Seal for Workplace Mental Health, MHA’s new national employer certification program. We look forward to helping lead Minnesota employer involvement in this initiative! The goal is to drive workplace commitment to mental health support from the top-down, emphasizing how it can greatly impact the financial, emotional, and social success and growth of an organization.
Because all workplaces are different, an employer can aspire to receive recognition at four levels – Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum. Through the certification process, employers will have the opportunity to discuss the relationship between mental health and the following goals:
- Attract potential employees and increase retention;
- Improve employee engagement and productivity;
- Reduce health care costs and lost revenue due to poor workplace mental health;
- Address concerns with presenteeism and absenteeism;
- Reduce the rate of employee turnover; and
- Identify gaps and learn about resources to support employee mental health.
An employer will be assessed—and recognition ultimately determined by—the following five categories:
- Workplace Culture
- Health Insurance & Benefits
- Employee Perks & Programs
- Legal & Ethical Compliance
- Leadership & Community Engagement