This past week, a couple of resources became available to help companies deal with the breadth of mental health issues that workers are facing.

OSHA Guidance

First, the US government announced this week that it is offering guidance to help companies address opioid emergencies. 

OSHA issued a fact sheet that offers practical steps that help companies recognize the signs of an overdose and act immediately. They offered the following strategies:

Keep lifesaving FDA-approved reversal medications – such as naloxone or nalmefene – on hand. These safe, life-saving medications quickly restore normal breathing and generally have no effect if opioids are not present.

Treat overdose kits like first aid by storing them in highly visible, easily accessible locations, just like automated external defibrillators or standard first-aid kits.

Educate workers on how to identify critical symptoms of an overdose, such as slow or stopped breathing, blue lips or skin, pinpoint pupils, or unresponsiveness.

Prepare for rapid action in an emergency by training workers to administer the medication, safely position the individual, and provide supportive care while waiting for first responders.

Companies Best Practices

And Mental Health America issued a report that highlights trends they are seeing in mental health. They based these trends on the companies that were awarded the Bell Seal.

The Seal is awarded based on how companies address the following areas:

Workplace culture: Evaluates how an organization strategically addresses employees’ well-being, fosters supportive people managers, enforces fair personnel procedures, and promotes professional development.

Mental health benefits: Identifies which mental health benefits, such as health insurance, an employee assistance program (EAP), and paid leave, the organization offers and how it supports employees in accessing them.

Caring beyond compliance: Assesses how an organization fosters an inclusive, psychologically safe work environment that prioritizes prevention and early intervention and encourages employees to seek support when needed.

Holistic wellness at work: Measures how an organization empowers its workplace mental health champions, promotes awareness, facilitates peer connection, and offers resources that support employees’ whole health, including mental, physical, environmental, and social health.

Connection is Key

Analyzing the 2026 winners of the Bell Seal, the organization discovered key themes. One is that it's the connection, not the location, that mattered when addressing this issue. 

Here are the actions they are taking:

• 99% provide opportunities for employees to connect with their teams and peers.
• 97% have a team or individual to support well-being, such as an employee resource group or culture committee,
• 83% provide their employees volunteer opportunities,
• 63% provide peer support or mentoring to employees with mental health concerns.

Offering Benefits that Support Workforce Needs

The importance of offering tailored benefits has resulted in a higher score in that area for Bell Seal recipients. Since 2023, the average benefits score among all Bell Seal employers has increased by 8% from 75% to 83%.

Here is a breakdown of those benefits:

• Financial resources -- 90%
• Retirement preparation -- 89%
• Nutrition support -- 83%
• Physical health resources -- 78%
• Gym access or membership -- 71%
• Student loan assistance -- 47%
• Emergency relief funds -- 42%
• Pet care resources -- 36%
• Lifestyle spending account (LSA)  -- 31%

A benefit trend that has increased in the past few years is that of providing assistance to working parents and caregivers. Benefits such as paid paternal leave (64%), adoption or fertility assistance (51%) and subsidized childcare costs or on-site childcare (25%) were offered by the 2026 Bell Seal cohorts. 

Recovery Benefits

As mentioned at the beginning of this blog, the US government is addressing the issue of opioid abuse and in 2026, accommodation and recovery practices recorded one of the largest year-over-year increases among Bell Seal employers, including:

• 92% have a formal or informal return-to-work program
• 83% provided accommodations training to people leaders
• 74% educated employees about their rights under the ADA
• 73% enact one or more recovery-ready practices

Furthermore, companies have created policies to support substance abuse and disorder recovery. 

• 87% review policies around alcohol use during work social events
• 82% permit modification of minor job requirements as an accommodation
• 55% support employee resource groups for workers in recovery
• 54% promote substance use disorder and recovery literacy
• 46% facilitate peer recovery support services or peer mentoring
• 31% actively recruit and hire people in recovery

Of course there is more work to be done, but the companies earning the Bell Seal have certainly made progress in addressing mental health concerns. 

"Creating a healthy, thriving workplace does not happen overnight, " said Tracye Weeks, chief people and culture officer at Mental Health America, in a statement.

"In our experience, the most successful wellness initiatives meet employees where they are, adapt to changing needs, and build on an organization’s unique strengths. It takes time and commitment, but this investment pays off. By supporting employees as whole people and expanding access to care and support, you foster a workplace that attracts top talent and enables employees to do their best work."