Would you be employing people by any chance?
I've given employment to quite a few people in my lifetime.
And coming from that, if you're going to pay the absolute minimum don't expect people ( in Central or Eastern Europe of all places, where it was common in the commie days to just sit around all day drinking tea while "at work" ) to work their asses off for you.
People will not apply themselves when they are getting minimum wage, period.
I have taken low paying jobs in the past, looking for something else in the meantime, while doing the job I have worked very hard and diligently, because at the end I want a glowing reference.
I'm afraid you're not quite aware how the reference system "works" in Poland.
Simply put, it is a sham. People will get glowing references on account of being their bosses current squeeze/cousin/whatever and at the same time hard working people will get no references at all because their boss simply doesn't have to write them for them.
While looking for professionals in Poland I go by word of mouth and recommendation, not any kind of references.