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Most culture awards measure sentiment. HiveWell measures systems. We evaluate what truly shapes daily experience — policies, leadership behavior, and employee reality across teams — using a transparent, evidence-based methodology that can't be gamed or purchased.
You don't earn HiveWell by performing culture. You earn it by living it.
Parental leave, caregiving, family policies
Flexibility and boundaries that strengthen performance
Trained managers, psychological safety
Mental health, transitions, workload relief
Pay equity, belonging, retention analysis
Where real people-first organizations earn real recognition.
HiveWell certifies employers who meet the highest standards of human-centered leadership, ethical systems, and employee wellbeing. No marketing veneer. No pay-to-win awards. No culture theater.
Just rigorous, transparent criteria that validate what your people already know: Your workplace is the real thing.
If your organization is ready to demonstrate its commitment to humanity and performance, we're here to verify it.
(not just leadership claims)
(no black boxes or politics)
(sustained excellence, not one-time achievement)
(measurable proof, not marketing)
Timeline: 4-6 weeks for organizations with documented policies
HiveWell Certification proves your human-centered policies and culture actually work—giving you the competitive advantage in attracting and retaining top talent.
Built on 30+ years of organizational psychology research, not opinions.
Take our comprehensive assessment to see where your workplace stands across 5 pillars.
Independent audit of documented policies. Earn your level: Rooted, Growing or Thriving.
Receive a detailed report and scorecard with data and an improvement roadmap.
Display your badge, attract better talent, and join our directory of verified employers.
The workplace landscape has changed. Employees are no longer impressed by slogans, surveys, or culture awards that can be gamed. They want evidence — and so do high-integrity employers.
Companies that earn HiveWell Certification don't just look good — they prove they are good.
HiveWell Certification offers what traditional programs don't:
HiveWell verifies systems, leadership, and employee experience through rigorous, evidence-based evaluation — not self-reported scores.
Policies. Practices. Leadership behavior. Daily experience. Not perks. Not marketing. Not performative engagement scores.
You see exactly what's evaluated, why it matters, and how you measure up — with no mystery or pay-to-win upgrades.
If your culture is genuinely human-centered, HiveWell validates it with credibility that actually means something.
Faster. Fairer. Harder to game. Easier to understand. Built from modern research, real-world leadership experience, and standards aligned with today's workforce expectations.
HiveWell Certification helps you ensure and later prove your systems create workplaces where employees feel supported, valued, and connected—turning policies into lived culture.
We believe any organization working to improve employee experience deserves recognition.
Whether you're building foundational systems or leading industry innovation, certification acknowledges genuine progress toward human-centered practices.
No impossible standards, but no participation trophies.
Foundational excellence with systematic culture development
Comprehensive excellence with advanced practices
Industry leadership with innovation and measurable impact
Whether you're building foundational practices or leading industry innovation, certification provides the roadmap and recognition your culture transformation deserves.
3-minute evaluation across 5 pillars with immediate gap analysis
Apply to become a HiveWell Pilot Partner and help shape the next generation of human-centered workplaces.
30-minute strategy session to determine your best pathway
Find answers to common questions about certification process, costs, timeline, and outcomes.
Answer: HiveWell™ Certification is the first evidence-based, human-centered workplace evaluation built to recognize organizations that prioritize humanity in every system — from policy design to leadership behavior and lived experience. It verifies that your organization is not only a great place to work, but a Human-Centered Workplace™ — one where people thrive sustainably through fairness, empathy, and accountability. Certification is awarded at three levels — Rooted, Growing, and Thriving — reflecting the maturity of your human-centered systems.
Answer: Certification is valid for one year. Each year, certified organizations complete a renewal assessment to confirm standards are upheld and to track measurable improvement. HiveWell Certification isn't a one-time badge — it's a continuous commitment to human-centered leadership and systemic care.
Answer: HiveWell Certification validates that your culture is not built on slogans or perks — but on evidence, equity, and ethics. Certified organizations gain verified recognition as a Human-Centered Workplace™, a tiered badge (Rooted / Growing / Thriving) and official certificate, a comprehensive report with pillar-by-pillar analysis, Employee Culture Survey (ECS-20) insights for targeted action, and an optional public profile in the HiveWell Directory of Certified Organizations. Most importantly, certification tells the world your organization is designed for humans to thrive — not burn out.
Answer: The HiveWell Assessment measures six research-backed pillars that define a truly human-centered workplace: Life Stage Support & Leave – Family, caregiving, health, and hardship equity; Flexible Work Framework – Time, location, and autonomy fairness; Human-Intelligence Leadership – Empathy, accountability, and trauma-informed management; Crisis & Change Support – Organizational resilience and compassionate systems; Inclusive Culture & Measurement – Psychological safety, equity analytics, and restorative practices; Pay Equity & Ethical Practices – Transparent, just, and sustainable compensation systems. Each area is rated on a 0–2 evidence scale (not opinion-based), ensuring measurable, auditable outcomes.
Answer: HiveWell's dual-lens model collects feedback from both employees and organizational leaders. Employee Culture Survey (ECS-20): a short, research-based assessment capturing belonging, psychological safety, and manager support. Organizational Evidence Submission: HR and leadership teams document policies, equity audits, and accountability structures that support employees' lived experience. This combination ensures HiveWell Certification reflects what's written, what's practiced, and what's felt.
Answer: Certification eligibility requires participation from all employees legally employed by your organization at the time of survey launch and covered under your company's policies. This includes all full-time and part-time employees, all job levels (executives, managers, and individual contributors), all work locations (on-site, hybrid, and remote), both union and non-union employees, and recent hires onboarded prior to survey launch. A minimum of 70% employee participation in the ECS-20 survey is required for certification validity.
Answer: Organizations may choose to include extended workforce members — such as contractors, interns, or seasonal staff — when they play a consistent role in company operations or culture. These groups are not required but may be included to reflect a broader definition of workplace equity.
Answer: To protect data integrity, do not include individuals not legally employed by your organization or not covered by your standard employment policies. Examples include independent contractors or vendors employed by other entities, franchise employees (unless directly employed by the parent company), and furloughed workers who are not actively working or receiving pay. HiveWell's goal is accurate, ethical measurement — so results reflect your true employee experience.
Answer: Most workplace awards rely on opinion surveys or marketing submissions. HiveWell Certification goes further by combining evidence-based validation (policies, data, and proof), equity-focused scoring (built to uncover inequities, not mask them), annual auditing (to ensure sustained integrity), and human-centered science (grounded in organizational psychology and systems design). HiveWell Certification doesn't just measure happiness — it verifies health, fairness, and humanity at the system level.
Answer: Certified organizations receive the official Human-Centered Workplace™ badge with level and year, a pillar-by-pillar report highlighting strengths and growth areas, and an optional advisory debrief with HiveWell specialists. You'll also gain access to research insights and benchmarking data, plus potential feature consideration in HiveWell's annual Human-Centered Workplace Report. Annual renewal invites you to demonstrate measurable improvement and share your progress story with employees and your wider community.
Answer: Yes. Organizations with strong existing practices can pursue Fast-Track Certification (4 weeks). You'll complete our comprehensive assessment across organizational policies, employee experience, and manager capability. If you meet standards, you get certified. If you don't, we show you exactly what needs improvement.
Answer: You receive your complete scorecard showing where you fell short, plus a detailed roadmap. Many organizations use this to implement changes and re-certify 6-12 months later. You can pursue improvements independently or work with us through training or the full Transformation path.
Answer: Simply complete a short Readiness Inquiry Form on our website or email hello@joinhivewell.com. A member of the HiveWell team will schedule a discovery call to confirm eligibility and readiness, explain certification timelines, and provide onboarding details and next steps.
Answer: HiveWell's framework is built from peer-reviewed research in organizational psychology, public health, and systems change. All question sets and scoring logic are reviewed annually by our Advisory Board of experts in human-centered design, DEIB, and leadership ethics.
Answer: All employee responses to the ECS-20 survey are anonymous and confidential. No individual data is shared with employers — only aggregate results are provided once response thresholds are met. This ensures employees can speak honestly and that results reflect authentic organizational truth.
Answer: Yes. HiveWell may suspend or revoke certification if evidence is falsified, annual renewal requirements are not met, or retaliation against employee feedback occurs. This maintains the honor and credibility of the Human-Centered Workplace™ mark.
Answer: Yes. While based in the United States, HiveWell's framework aligns with international labor and wellbeing standards, allowing certification of organizations in any country that can demonstrate alignment with the six HiveWell pillars.
Answer: HiveWell Certification is evidence-verified, data-driven, and externally audited. We require documentation, demographic usage data, and employee validation before awarding certification. That means candidates, investors, and clients can trust that certified organizations truly 'walk the walk,' not just promote good intentions.
Answer: Engagement programs ask employees what they think. HiveWell Certification verifies what's true — using policies, usage data, and employee validation. It focuses on structural fairness, leadership behavior, and wellbeing outcomes rather than short-term morale.