During the Dragon Boat Festival, while others share family reunions on social media, I remain on the front lines. Early in the morning, I set up a tent at the supermarket entrance, displayed the products, and shouted through a megaphone, drenched in sweat... At noon, the sun blazed, and the crowd was sparse; in the evening, as the weather cooled, passing consumers were not attracted by the 'buy one get one free' promotion; they glanced and walked away. Today's consumers seem more rational; they care about their immediate needs and are not easily moved by price to make impulse purchases. After a whole day, I sold less than 800 yuan. Fortunately, I'm free labor, so the company doesn't lose out. At 10 PM, the evening meeting was held as scheduled. The superior leader reported the day's sales results; everyone's sales ranged from 500 to 3,000 yuan. The leader angrily criticized the laggards, saying, 'Why can others sell 3,000 yuan while you can't even reach 1,000? If the results are poor, look for reasons within yourselves...' In recent years, holiday promotions have become less effective, with minimal impact on sales growth. Often, leaders just want to control everyone's behavior; seeing everyone working hard puts their minds at ease. Two years ago, on a snowy day, a major manufacturer's sales rep set up a tent outdoors for a promotion. A photo of 'promoting in the snow' went viral on social media, earning praise from colleagues: 'Model worker!', 'Braving wind and snow, this is the XX brand spirit', 'Thumbs up for XX brand people'... Even the leader called on everyone to learn from this spirit of facing difficulties. The leader saw the attitude but ignored the effectiveness of the activity; it moved themselves but wasted resources. The FMCG industry has always relied on a 'human wave tactic'. In recent years, as industry growth has slowed, manufacturers have reduced staff, so managers try every means to extend working hours to drive performance. A manufacturer's sales rep complained to me: 'I haven't had a single day off in May; I've given it my all, but I still can't meet my targets.' When employees want to take leave, leaders always have reasons to refuse: 'I haven't rested for three months; once this busy period is over, we'll let everyone rest well', 'There's a lot going on now; let's work overtime, and we'll compensate with time off later'... In this environment, taking normal leave feels shameful; if a leader approves leave, it's seen as great mercy. One sales rep told me he couldn't take it anymore. With a heavy heart and even some guilt, he applied for compensatory leave. The leader reluctantly agreed but specifically instructed: 'Don't neglect your work during the leave!' Even when you finally get a day off, it feels like you haven't. 'I'm really fed up. I take a day off, and the phone never stops ringing... Uninformed relatives think I'm earning tens of thousands a month, otherwise why would I be so busy,' a sales rep said helplessly. Despite this, leaders still think everyone isn't working hard enough: 'Look at Huawei; they work 16 hours a day. We're far behind.' But the reality is, the salary you give is also far behind Huawei's. Experts say: 'Use idle time—evenings and weekends—to drive for Didi or deliver food, creating a second income.' But as a sales rep, I have no idle time left. Every meeting is scheduled after 7 PM, supposedly not to interfere with regular working hours; weekly and monthly meetings are set on weekends, perfectly avoiding work hours. The leaders are very 'thoughtful'. A regional manager saw a sales rep from a certain spring water company still visiting stores and moving goods at 9 PM, which inspired him: 'Look, there's a reason why that company performs well. If our sales reps were this hardworking, we'd have met our targets long ago.' Often, meaningless overtime only drains personal energy without bringing growth. 'We care not only about results but also the process. Results without process won't be good; process without results is useless work,' the leader said righteously. To prevent laziness, the company implemented a strict photo check-in system and assigned people to monitor it. At least 30 store visits per day, with photo check-ins at each store. If not completed, reasons must be given; if you clock in one minute late in the morning, you must explain why. The leader would question in the group: 'If you can't even be on time for work, can you still do the job?' Even during the pandemic, a major manufacturer required sales reps to check in with photos, even though stores were closed and nothing could be done. But as long as the check-in count was met, it showed everyone was working, and the leader felt reassured. Even if you meet your sales target, you'll be penalized for not meeting visit requirements. 'You achieved the target, but the process wasn't up to standard, which means the result has little to do with you,' the leader said. Constant supervision, daily tracking, weekly summaries, monthly reflections... A barrage of management measures hits like a storm, overwhelming everyone. To improve performance, sales reps are required to submit daily work logs, even with specified word counts, which have been refined over time, creating a new level of 'involution'. The log framework and content are specified, requiring quantification and specific actions, with fines for late submission or non-compliance. Many managers like to talk about 'wolf culture', setting rules, enforcing attendance, demanding obedience. Ironically, many managers themselves can't do what they demand of subordinates. Strict management itself isn't wrong; what's wrong is taking without giving. One-sided demands don't last, which is why FMCG sales reps have high turnover. They demand 007 (24/7) work but only pay 955 (9-to-5) wages; they ask you to treat the company as home but don't give family-like treatment or respect. When you first join the FMCG industry, leaders often encourage you: 'Sales isn't high-tech; if you work hard, you'll get results', 'You're young, with unlimited potential', 'So-and-so started as a sales rep and rose to senior management'... When young, hearing such encouragement and motivation ignites a fire within, and you vow to make a difference. So you work day and night, but never see hope. A sales rep from a major manufacturer told me he'd been with the company for over 10 years. He remembered his first leader saying: 'Work hard, and if you perform well, you'll get promoted and a raise.' So he worked extremely hard, ranking among the top in sales, but promotions never came to him. Initially, he thought he was too young and needed more experience. Subsequent leaders said the same thing, and he became the company's 'firefighter', sent to any market that failed to meet targets. In the end, he realized he was just a tool, a stepping stone for others' promotions. As the economy declines, sales targets only increase, but managers keep painting rosy pictures and using spiritual encouragement to drive everyone. 'If our sales grow by XX%, our salaries will definitely double,' but such goals are simply unrealistic. Then the leader shouts from the stage, 'We must achieve this amount; do you all have confidence?' As if confidence alone can accomplish everything. 'We must learn to win with the team without encouragement, recognition, help, understanding, tolerance, or retreat, only pressure.' 'If you only shine when encouraged, you're at best a light bulb. The company needs engines; we must become engines. Everyone should strive to shine, and then you'll be respected. Everyone should have this determination, and then the team will be invincible!' If targets aren't met, leaders always think the team is at fault, not their own direction or strategy. They even find various reasons to deny you: 'You're hardworking, but he says you don't understand sales; You understand sales, but he says you lack vision; You have vision, but he says you're out of touch; You're down-to-earth, but he says you can't grasp the key points; You grasp the key points, but he says your thinking isn't comprehensive; You think comprehensively, but he says you lack logic; You have logic, but he says you don't see the essence; You see the essence, but he says you lack methods...' Under such unreasonable demands, you complain about the company. The leader finds you and says earnestly: 'The external environment is tough now; the company provides you with such a good platform. You should cherish it and be grateful...' Some managers simply drop the pretense and directly threaten to fire you. In such an environment, turnover among FMCG sales reps remains high, and many eventually leave in disappointment. One sales rep lamented: 'The company isn't friendly to frontline sales; there's no sense of belonging. I want to quit, but I'm afraid of starting over somewhere new.' Final Thoughts Competition in the FMCG industry is intensifying, but ineffective management not only wastes resources but also leaves the team exhausted and helpless. Real change must start with respecting employees and focusing on efficiency and results. After all, the efforts of sales reps shouldn't just move themselves.