F E AT U R E Dealing with Ethical Dilemmas in Construction During the COVID-19 Era by Patrick Hogan, CEO, Handle.com When the COVID-19 pandemic significantly crippled the economy, ethical considerations in the construction sector also took a hit. Closures of ongoing construction projects and the economic uncertainty have put many construction companies on a rocky financial foundation. This financial insecurity, among other reasons, may push construction parties to engage in questionable practices,
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if only to keep their companies afloat during the pandemic. The most common ethical issues in construction include unfair tender negotiations, questionable bidding processes, and late and short payments. These ethical issues are considered to be in the “gray area� between right and wrong, and even though they are perceived to be mostly
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undesirable, there are still people who might defend them and say that this is just how business works. But among these ethical concerns are two key elements: 1) that at least one party tries to make more money at the expense of other participants, and 2) that there are no legal programs or sanctions to regulate such activities. When parties engage in unethical
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