As a culture, we spend nearly a third of our day-to-day life at work. It’s not a surprise then that the places we work, the relationships that we build in the workplace, and our organization’s culture can all have massive impacts on our mental health. Unfortunately, the statistics are not promising, with nearly 1 in 5 workers saying that they experience a toxic work environment. What’s more, workers who reported a toxic workplace were more than three times as likely to report having experienced harm to their mental health at work, according to 2023 data from the American Psychological Association.
Mental Health America data from 2022 demonstrates that, “81% of workers report that workplace stress affects their mental health… Seventy-three percent of workers report that workplace stress affects relationships with family, friends, or co-workers.” And while these statistics can seem bleak, there is good news! Employers have a unique opportunity and responsibility to support their employees’ mental health and make a true difference in their lives and well-being. And workers are paying attention, with a 2022 Surgeon General report showing that 92% of workers say that it is important to them to work for an organization that provides support for employee mental health.
So, what can employers do? Whether you want to make some changes to your internal support systems and culture or want to show current employees and potential job candidates the importance you place on employee well-being, often the most challenging part of making a change is knowing where to start, which is why we’re thrilled to announce that applications for the MHA Bell Seal certification are now open!
The Bell Seal for Workplace Mental Health is a national certification program through Mental Health America that conducts a holistic evaluation of an organization’s employee experience. The certification indicates that an employer is committed to creating and maintaining mentally healthy workplaces.
And you don’t have to navigate the application process alone! As your local MHA affiliate, Tampa Bay Thrives is guiding a cohort of Tampa Bay area businesses through the process of applying. We’ll also provide you with a toolkit of resources to help you successfully support your employees. We previously spoke with Tampa-based Champions for Children who received a Platinum designation. About the process, they said, “Overall, the process is streamlined and supportive, and even helped us think through how we support mental health in our workplace in ways that will lead us to improve going forward.” If you’re a Tampa Bay area business, we encourage you to join us!
The details:
- Applications are open January 3rd – March 29th
- Apply directly here
- Want to join our cohort to receive customized support and guidance throughout your application process? Contact us here or email info@tampabaythrives.org
We hope you’ll join us in making a difference for mental health in Tampa Bay. Please reach out with any questions, we’d love to support you!
