Novel explores retail work in photo printing
In her novel Souvenirs à la chaîne, Sylvia Hansel examines the experience of working behind the counter of a major photo printing chain in the 2000s, focusing on the influence of hierarchy on "small jobs" and the ethical challenges faced by employees.Book details working conditions and ethics
The book, published by Éditions Intervalles, features 224 pages and costs 19.50 €. It is linked to the psychological study La souffrance éthique by Christophe Dejours and Gabriel Perez, published by Grasset with 192 pages and priced at 19 €.Narrative follows a character in a retail chain
Hansel's narrative follows a character named Sarah, who works at Photo One in La Défense, where she and her colleagues are tasked with selling services to customers returning from holidays. The employees are trained to engage with customers through various offers, such as loyalty cards, free reproductions, and bundled deals.Emotional labor and physical demands
The book describes the emotional labor involved in these interactions, where employees must feign enthusiasm for customers' holiday stories while managing the physical demands of the job, including working in high temperatures in printing workshops.Ethical dilemmas and ungrateful tasks
The novel also addresses the ethical dilemmas faced by employees, such as advising customers on better shots and dealing with unexpected nudity in photographs. These situations are described as "dirty jobs" that involve ungrateful tasks and the staging of customers as "kings" with their holiday trophies.Workplace policies and consequences
In addition to the ethical challenges, the book touches on the working conditions and training at Photo One. A training sequence titled "Integrity" is described, emphasizing punctuality and the consequences of lateness. The narrative includes anecdotes about theft, such as an employee who was fired for taking a roll of toilet paper, illustrating the strict policies in place.Context from psychological study
Hansel's work is contextualized within the psychological study by Dejours and Perez, which examines "ethical suffering" defined as "consenting to contribute to acts or practices that moral sense disapproves of." The study highlights the psychological impact of forced complicity, exacerbated competition, and collective evaluations in the workplace.Work's existential role and current challenges
Dejours has previously explored the "centrality of work" as an activity through which individuals can "experience oneself and experience life to reveal the best in us." However, the current landscape of "small jobs," emergency work, and fixed-term contracts is seen as excluding the existential content of the activity, leading to psychological voids and emotional distress.
