By Mark L. Johnson Labor shortages. Accelerated schedules. Supply-chain surprises. Personal pressures outside the job. Today’s construction workforce bears more stress than ever. In the AWCI Industry Leaders Conference 2025 session, “The Perfect Storm: Employees Under Stress,” Sharon Lipinski, CEO of Habit Mastery Consulting, explained how contractors can help crews convert short-term stress into usable energy. “Stress is energy,” Lipinski said.