Supporting employee wellness isn’t a one-time action – it requires long-term commitment, investment, and active support. That dedication to our people was recently demonstrated in our headquarters building’s Platinum WELL recertification, the highest level of WELL certification administered by the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI), which focuses on how a building promotes the wellbeing of its occupants over time.
This certification reflects our commitment to a healthy workplace, from the food in our lunchroom to the quality of our building’s air. It also showcases the capabilities of our McGough Facilities Management (MFM) team, which played a key role in the WELL recertification effort.
Recertification is particularly significant because it demonstrates we’re not just meeting the standard once but continuing to invest in programming and policies that support our people. Caring for our people is important to McGough both because it helps us attract and retain the best in the business – and also because it’s just the right thing to do.
A Higher Standard: WELL Platinum Certification
When it comes to creating sustainable and healthy buildings, owners often think of the construction phase first – managing stormwater, ensuring efficient heating and cooling, and providing natural light. WELL certification looks at other dimensions of how a building contributes to wellness – both the occupant experience and how wellness is promoted over time.
WELL is focused on the occupants of the building,” said Shannon Seifert, MFM Business Operations Manager, who supported the recertification effort. “It’s a major, ongoing effort. We use our planned maintenance system to ensure we are meeting all the checks that we need for certification.”
McGough’s 54,000 SF headquarters first earned WELL Platinum certification in 2022, the first building in Minnesota to meet this high standard. Certified by an independent third-party review, WELL Building Standard looks at how tenant policies, practices and building maintenance affect occupants, considering everything from air and water quality, to occupant comfort, to how the facility promotes movement, community and mental health.
In the case of McGough’s headquarters, this translates into things employees see every day:
- Daily fruit and vegetable offerings
- Available cookbooks
- The employee wellness room
- Transparent food labeling in the lunchroom
- Massage program
- Movement-focused offerings such as an on-site gym and available bicycles
It also includes things people might not notice, such as regular filter replacements, HVAC cleaning and maintenance, sound masking, and low-VOC cleaning products.
A Standard That Demands Continuous Commitment
Achieving WELL certification is a significant undertaking but maintaining it requires an additional level of commitment.
To prove we are meeting WELL standards, we have to document performance over time,” Shannon said. “We regularly take pictures of the food offerings, document cleaning the HVAC coils and filters, and perform quarterly thermal testing. Everything needs to be recorded and we need to ensure we are meeting all of the requirements.”
MFM relies on its team of trained experts and proven processes to support WELL certification, which in many cases involves documenting services MFM already offers to owners. By going through this renewal process for our own headquarters, we ensure our employees keep our skills sharp, navigating the same ongoing compliance requirements that our clients might face.
“It’s up to the owner to choose whether to pursue WELL certification and to lead the effort,” Shannon said. “But MFM has the processes and team in place to support and document their certification efforts.”
She also noted that there are multiple types of WELL standards; WELL Building Certification is the most comprehensive, but an owner may also choose to pursue a WELL Rating, such as Health-Safety, which focuses on specific aspects of WELL.
An Edge for Owners and Employers
Owners pursue WELL certification because it offers tangible value. Buildings that prioritize human health can help attract top talent. When employees know their workplace actively supports their physical and mental well-being, they are more engaged, productive, and likely to stay with the company – an incredible return on investment.
Achieving and maintaining a WELL Platinum-level certification takes dedication, expertise, and a relentless focus on quality. At McGough, whether we are developing, building or maintaining a facility, we apply the same rigor to our clients’ projects as we do to our own headquarters – all part of our commitment not just to creating exceptional buildings, but to supporting the wellness of the people in them.
