The Construction Company of the Future

Like what you see? Consider subscribing to get the latest articles here.

As it stands today, construction culture is at a crossroads.  

There are wholly Old-School companies out there—both highly successful ones and those limping along. And there are a few wholly New School companies, although most of them are still in their infancy. But the vast majority of construction companies are some mix of Old School and New School. 

Which means that there is a wide spectrum of culture.  

Most companies are still trying to cope with the emotional neediness of the next generation of construction professionals. The health of their culture largely depends on how hard the rest of the company is pushing back against this change. In some instances, the company completely pushes back and says things like “This is the way we’ve always done it, and we’re not changing!”. Those companies are struggling to stay on top of the evolving needs to make money and retain top talent in this industry.  

A majority of construction companies are pushing back on the New School in one way or another, while also giving in to some of their needs, realizing that they would ultimately lose the long-term game if they fully pushed back. I would slot 50%+ of construction companies in this bucket. Performance-wise, they are doing okay—making money some years, not making money others—but usually stymied by turnover—because despite the fact that they are accepting of some parts of the New School, they still make it challenging for the next generation to want to build a career there. So, they have to get lucky with a few people devoted enough to stick around.  

Then, there are the companies who are pushing back against the “soft” parts of the next generation—like everyone needing a trophy, or communicating exclusively via email and chat, or avoiding hard work—but meanwhile accepting many positives of the next generation—emotional intelligence, transparency, abundance mindset, technology, and more. These companies are market leaders and consistently outperform their competition in the form of greater-than-industry-average net profitability. They have figured out how to strike the right balance of employee happiness and putting in hard, good work, and they are rewarded for it in the market. 

There’s a great saying in yoga. “The harder you fight to get into a position, the harder it is to get into it. The moment you stop fighting your body and accept wherever you are, the sooner your body will release and allow you to get into the position.” As an avid yoga doer and supporter, I can confirm it’s true. The harder you fight, the harder it is to succeed. The same largely goes for fighting a next-generational culture. The more you fight it, the more it’s going to hold you back. It doesn’t mean you shouldn’t fight back at all, but open your mind and start listening. You might learn something. 

The construction company of the future 

I’ll tell you another thing that drives me nuts about the current state of the construction industry: the average contractor puts way too much focus on “having the low bid” and far too little focus on “providing the most value”. Because of this, there is a general race to the bottom where Company A is the same as Company B, so all that matters is their price! In this type of environment, companies start cutting corners—both on the project and in their own business. They make just enough to stay in business but not enough to reinvest in it or its people. Without reinvestment, the business simply cannot grow. 

So, it should not be surprising that the top contractors out there—the ones who have the best cultures in the country—also make a lot of money! Why? Because they have figured out how to communicate to prospective and existing clients that they are genuinely better and different from their competition. Which means price is only one part of their bid. There is also a lot of other value to consider that makes their proposal unlike any of the others. When the customer can’t figure out how to compare you to the others, they are usually willing to pay you more money for it. 

The key is that you must actually be different and better than your competition. So, the construction companies of the future have a few things in common: 

One is that they are value-added. Most start the value-add process with high integrity. They demonstrate to prospective clients that they can be certifiably trusted, even in the most challenging moments of a project. Then, they make sure to deliver on that trust in the moment of truth. This kind of value is hard to quantify, but it gets recognized by your people and your customers, and often propels you forward to the next deal.  

Two is that they are people-focused. Construction projects get built by people, whether those people work for you or someone else. So, you must treat people like people. Yes, push them to meet the schedule. Yes, set daily production goals that the whole team fights for. But also give them rest. Let them take breaks. Make working a pleasant experience. Because otherwise, they burn out and stop treating your clients and partners like people. And when that happens, you’re in trouble.  

Third, construction companies of the future develop cultures that challenge the status quo. Instead of “doing things the way they have always been done”, they dare to dream. Their ideas are innovative, and they are comfortable trying them, even if the rest of the industry would think they’re crazy. Their benefits and incentives are appreciated internally and considered outrageously generous by outsiders. Their facilities are comfortable and encourage collaboration. Most importantly, they spend money to make a whole lot more of it. 

Therefore, if you want to be a construction company of the future, you have to provide added value, focus on your people, and be flexible with them when they’ve earned it.  

Spark Notes:

• Most construction companies today are stuck in a cultural tug-of-war between Old School grit and New School expectations—and many are losing good people because of it.

• The top performers aren’t resisting change—they're embracing emotional intelligence, tech, and transparency while still expecting real work ethic in return.

• Too many contractors are chasing low bids instead of building real value, which leads to corner-cutting, burnout, and stagnation.

• The construction company of the future knows its worth, takes care of its people, invests in bold ideas, and dares to be different—and that’s exactly why it wins.