Deep Dive: Page 3
Industry insights from our journalists
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The war for talent: How contractors battle for workers
The industry's labor shortage has escalated into a full-blown crisis since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Here's what some firms are doing to compete.
Robyn Griggs Lawrence • Sept. 7, 2021 -
Contractors caught between vaccine hesitancy and owner mandates
Construction firms are scrambling to meet client requests for 100% vaccinated jobsites as the COVID-19 delta variant surges across the country.
Joe Bousquin • Aug. 24, 2021 -
With mask, vaccine mandates on the rise, employers have options — but consistency is key
Whatever employers choose, inconsistent enforcement is a "recipe for disaster," according to an attorney.
Ryan Golden • Aug. 12, 2021 -
Photo by Ketut Subiyanto from Pexels
Paid leave proves critical for talent retention
Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, women have dropped out of the workforce in droves. Here's why.
Caroline Colvin • Aug. 9, 2021 -
10 ways the PRO Act could change the game for employers and organized labor
Currently being considered in the Senate, the bill would strengthen the ability of unions to form and collectively bargain.
Emilie Shumway • Aug. 5, 2021 -
Despite dodging tax hikes in infrastructure bill, contractors could still see higher rates
While U.S. corporations have avoided tax increases in the Senate's proposed plan, public and private contractors could still see rates go up.
Joe Bousquin • Aug. 4, 2021 -
5 strategies construction firms use to lower their taxes
From depreciation and carrying forward losses to research and development credits, public contractors rely on an array of tactics to help minimize tax bills.
Joe Bousquin • July 8, 2021 -
Analysis: Public contractors' tax rates are among the lowest of any industry
As President Joe Biden's proposal to raise corporate taxes has pushed the issue of what companies pay into the national spotlight, Construction Dive looks at public construction firms' tax bills.
Joe Bousquin • June 23, 2021 -
Amid delays and rising prices, contractors turn to tech to mitigate supply disruptions
Soaring material costs and supply chain woes are threatening a second-half rebound. Construction pros are looking to technology-based strategies to cope.
Joe Bousquin • April 28, 2021 -
What contractors should know before going after public projects
Private-sector contractors can grab a share of the billions slated for infrastructure work if they prepare themselves now. Here are six ways that public projects differ from other types of jobs.
Kim Slowey • April 22, 2021 -
Could the PRO Act become law?
Legal experts say it’s a long shot, but if passed, the Protecting the Right to Organize Act would drastically change worker-employer relations in many states.
Zachary Phillips • April 14, 2021 -
Soaring material prices, supply chain delays spook owners and developers
The rising cost of many materials and increased sourcing headaches have project owners rethinking their return to normalcy and threaten to derail construction's expected resurgence.
Joe Bousquin • April 12, 2021 -
Skyrocketing steel, lumber costs threaten to slow construction jobs
As material prices jump, U.S. contractors are coping any way they can. Here are some best practices for working around price fluctuations and shortages.
Joe Bousquin • Feb. 17, 2021 -
How the PRO Act would change the construction industry
Reintroduced in Congress Thursday, the bill designed to strengthen unions has major implications for construction firms and the workers they employ.
Zachary Phillips • Feb. 5, 2021 -
Post-pandemic: How COVID-19 will change office, hotel and mixed-use design
There are still unknowns as far as how the coronavirus pandemic will impact the look of new spaces, but flexibility in layouts will be key, design experts say.
Kim Slowey • Jan. 25, 2021 -
6 owners moving ahead in construction's hardest-hit sectors
Although hospitality, office and retail saw deep pullbacks in 2020, some clients are taking the long view and keeping their construction jobs in play.
Joe Bousquin • Jan. 20, 2021 -
5 questions to ask before adopting a vaccine policy
Despite recent Equal Employment Opportunity Commission guidance, many employers have more questions than answers when it comes to coronavirus vaccine policies.
Ryan Golden • Jan. 6, 2021 -
Retrieved from Jeremy Gilbert/Flickr.
2021 outlook: 6 trends that will influence construction this year
Several factors – some positive, some less so – are poised to shape the industry in the new year.
Joe Bousquin • Jan. 4, 2021 -
Tax changes on the horizon: What contractors need to know
Construction pros must consider the effects of a Biden tax plan, potential coronavirus relief and other factors for their end-of-year strategy, industry accountants say.
Kim Slowey • Dec. 14, 2020 -
Pandemic revs up drive-thru restaurant design
With drive-thru traffic increasing in the double-digits, Arby's, McDonald's, Burger King, KFC, Taco Bell and others have developed building prototypes to better streamline operations.
Julie Littman • Dec. 4, 2020 -
Contractors brace for more lockdowns as coronavirus cases spike nationwide
Pros are doing what they can now to prepare for potential pandemic-induced halts to construction work in the winter months.
Joe Bousquin • Nov. 30, 2020 -
7 ways to prepare for potential COVID-19 construction shutdowns
Are more stop-work orders ahead? Here's what to do to be able to come back in stride.
Joe Bousquin • Nov. 30, 2020 -
Construction's COVID-19 record might be worse than you think
Despite a lack of definitive data, academic studies and local health authorities have found numerous outbreaks in construction.
Joe Bousquin • Nov. 19, 2020 -
Border wall breakup: Will blacklisting of contractors end if construction stops?
"Name and shame" policies blocking border wall contractors from work with cities like Los Angeles and Austin, Texas, have been in effect since 2018.
Kim Slowey • Oct. 30, 2020 -
Border wall breakup: What would happen if Biden becomes president
If Joe Biden wins and makes good on his promise to stop the construction of the U.S.-Mexico border wall, the contractors involved won't have options other than packing up and going home.
Kim Slowey • Oct. 29, 2020