Red Flags: How to Identify a Toxic Crew or Contractor Before You Accept the Job

In the trades, the crew you work with can make or break your experience. A good crew feels like family. A toxic crew feels like a hazard—physically, mentally, and professionally.

And too many tradeswomen learn the hard way that some jobs should’ve been passed on from the start.

These are the red flags you should watch for before you ever set foot on the jobsite.

1. They Talk About Previous Employees in a Negative Way

If a contractor or foreman immediately starts bashing past employees, apprentices, or tradeswomen, pay attention. Comments like:

• “Our last girl couldn’t hack it.”

• “We’ve had bad luck with women.”

• “Nobody wants to work anymore.”

  
  

…are not jokes. They are previews.

If they talk trash about the people who aren’t in the room, imagine what they’ll say about the ones who are.

2. No Written Expectations, No Process, No Structure

A crew that can’t answer simple questions like:

• “What time do you start?”

• “Who do I report to?”

• “What tasks will I be responsible for?”

• 
  

…is a mess waiting to happen.

Chaos always leads to:

• safety shortcuts

• blame-shifting

• unclear boundaries

• inconsistent pay

  
  

If everything sounds vague, run.

3. They Overemphasize That They’re ‘Like a Family.’

If they have to tell you they’re like a family, they’re probably not.

“Family” is often code for:

• Emotional manipulation

• Expecting overtime without pay

• Zero boundaries

• Tolerating bad behavior

• “Just deal with it, that’s how we do things here”

  
  

You want a professional team, not a cult.

4. Zero Tradeswomen on Staff — Ever

Not having women on the crew isn’t automatically bad…But never hiring women? Or insisting women “don’t fit in here”?Or claiming “we tried it once, but it didn’t work out”?

That is a giant, neon, radioactive red flag.

It means:

• They don’t want to adapt

• They don’t want accountability

• They don’t care about creating a healthy work environment

  
  

A crew that wants women will make space for women.

5. They Brush Off Safety Concerns

Before accepting any job, ask about safety practices:

• Do you have fall protection requirements?

• Who is your safety lead?

• Do you do daily JHAs or toolbox talks?

• What PPE is required?

• 
  

A contractor who rolls his eyes, laughs, or gives a dismissive “We’re pretty laid back around here” is someone who does not take your life seriously.

And unsafe crews are usually the same ones where harassment thrives.

6. They Ask Personal or Inappropriate Questions During the Interview

If the interview starts feeling like:

• a dating application

• an interrogation

• an ego test

• or a competition with women who aren’t even there

  
  

Leave. You don’t owe them a second of your time.

Questions like:

• “Do you have a boyfriend?”

• “Can you handle being around guys?”

• “Women usually complain a lot — you okay with hard work?”

• "Do you have/plan on having children?"

These aren’t just tacky. They’re warnings.

7. Pay, Hours, or Expectations Keep Changing

If they change the offer details every time you talk to them, that’s not flexibility it’s instability.

A good contractor is consistent and transparent.

A toxic one is always shifting the goalposts so you can never hold them accountable.

8. Their Reputation in the Community Is Rough

You don’t need a formal background check — the trades talk.

Ask around:

• “Have you worked with them?”

• “How are they to their crews?”

• “Do they pay on time?”

• “Do they run safe sites?”

If multiple people raise their eyebrows or give that “I mean… you can… if you want…” face, take the hint.

9. Everything Is Urgent, Desperate, and Last-Minute

Contractors who constantly hire “ASAP,” “right now,” and “we need someone tomorrow” often:

• burn through employees

• operate in crisis mode

• don’t plan

• don’t value people

• and don’t care who they hire as long as someone shows up

Healthy crews hire intentionally — not frantically.

10. Your Gut Says " RED FLAG" Something’s Off

This is your biggest tool.

Women’s intuition on the jobsite is strong and often life-saving. If something feels:

• disrespectful

• off

• disorganized

• unsafe

• or dismissive

…you don’t need to justify it. Your intuition is enough.

There are too many crews and too many opportunities to waste your talent on a toxic one

A jobsite should challenge you — but it should never endanger, belittle, or undermine you. You deserve a crew that values your skills, respects your boundaries, and takes your safety seriously.

Don’t ignore the red flags. They’re not just warnings — they’re protection.