I work in the UK, but the company is based in the Netherlands – so I get paid in € instead of £ (a tax thing for them).
We’re all freelancers – and I’m one of the Team Leaders. Think middle management. Fortunately, the whole team like me cause of my “as long as you get the job done, idgaf what you do”.
As a bit of context, I take photos of tourists as a famous attraction and they get text a link at the end of the day to buy IF they want. It’s meant to be no pressure.
Anyway, the company brought in this performance system with four tiers on how much you make the company per hour. There’s the standard Bronze, Silver and Gold – but they’ve added “wood” for people losing money.
I’m meant to have performance meetings with the guys in the wood category. TECHNICALLY I have been placed in the wood category and have to have a meeting with my manager. Why? Cause I don’t shoot, I do admin – so in the eyes of the big bosses I’m “losing” money.
A few people are in the wood category and they’re really upset cause it makes you feel like shit. Some of these guys have never held a camera before – but they were hired cause they’re cheaper than actual photographers.
The contract ends next month, so I don’t care anymore. I’m a photographer so I’ve been helping them get higher by shooting for them and assigning said shoots to them, increasing their sales.
I hate the whole “the company is family” mentality – but cause of my laid back management style, these guys are genuinely my friends. We’re all freelancers, so we got to stick together!
Sorry for the rant – thanks if you made it this far
EDIT FOR CLARITY: The guys aren’t hired as photographers, but as “guest associates” and told they’ll be fully trained. They’re not.
Also, the only targets given are of total number of shoots taken, there’s no sales target – which is bizarre now they’re having these meetings. Obviously the company was setup by a tech guy, with no knowledge of photography, that wants this to be the “Uber of Photography”