McCarthy Recognized as ‘Fit Friendly’ by AHA

McCarthy Building Companies Inc., an employee-owned construction company, recently was recognized as a Platinum-levelFit-Friendly Company by the American Heart Association, improved from the firm’s Gold-level recognition in 2011. McCarthy was recognized during the association’s 2012 Metro St. Louis Heart Walk in May, with the award presented on June 26 in McCarthy’s St. Louis headquarters. Fit-Friendly Companies are recognized by the association as employers who go above and beyond when it comes to employee health.

“McCarthy recognizes the importance of a healthy workplace for its employees and has taken important steps to create a culture of physical activity in the workplace,” says Nancy Brown, CEO of the American Heart Association. “Promoting a wellness culture by providing support to employees and implementing physical, nutritional and sculptural changes are extraordinary efforts, and we commend McCarthy and its employees.”

Developed and launched in 2010, McCarthy Build for Life is designed to encourage all employees and their families to strive toward optimal mental, physical, financial and emotional well-being, while – at the same time – controlling healthcare costs over the long term. The program focuses on four key areas: awareness, prevention, activity and lifestyle and stress.

Designed as a grassroots program, McCarthy Build for Life is supported by Wellness Champions in each McCarthy office who communicate to employees in their region. Key McCarthy Build for Life program features include:

• Opportunities for employees and their spouse/partner to earn points for completing proactive, health-related activities that will be directly applied toward reduced medical insurance premiums
• Annual Activity Challenge that promotes healthy competition across all company division offices
• Quarterly wellness newsletter delivered to homes of all employees, in partnership with the Mayo Clinic, and discount subscriptions to other health-related publications
• Complimentary health screenings for McCarthy employees and spouses/partners, including blood pressure screening, BMI/waist circumference checks, cholesterol/HDL/Glucose screenings, and Prostate Specific Antigen screenings
• Wellness areas in all main office locations and at all-employee biannual meetings featuring material on health, nutrition, activity, and stress/lifestyle management
• Regular educational wellness webinars available to employees and their families
• Wide array of company-sponsored wellness employee events.