Your sales team is killing it.
Metrics are going exactly where you want them to go. Revenue and ACV are increasing month-over-month. Sales are taking less time to close.
Your salespeople are on fire.
But, wait. Is it ‘Woo-hoo, we’re on fire!’ or ‘OH NO, WE’RE ON FIRE!’?
Where there are smokin’ hot sales numbers there might also be sales rep burnout. The often-blistering pace of success can take a huge toll on your sales team.
Burnout, according to the Mayo Clinic, is “a special type of work-related stress—a state of physical or emotional exhaustion that also involves a sense of reduced accomplishment and loss of personal identity.”
Sometimes, spotting sales rep burnout is straightforward. There are the classic signs, like the formerly top-performing rep who, after their numbers take a nosedive, is burning the candle at both ends and things are not going well.
In other cases, sales burnout is harder to get a handle on. It can manifest as both slacking off and turning into a workaholic. A burnt-out rep could be more irritable and start worrying about every little thing or they could become apathetic and mentally check out of their work. No matter the symptoms, as a sales manager you want to avoid it.
Sure, long hours or pressure-packed deadlines can be common in sales. Sales reps need a thick skin to handle the amount of rejection their job entails. It’s not your job to coddle your salespeople.
It is, however, your job to build and maintain a sales environment that allows your team to sell at their best. Think about the direct impact sales rep burnout can have on your bottom line.
Sales reps who are checked out mentally aren’t going to be very productive chasing down leads. Pessimism won’t make them pumped to go after your quarterly quotas. Those who just can’t do it anymore quit and then you’re left to deal with all the hiring headaches that come with bringing a new salesperson on board.
How burnout-proof is your sales management style and strategy? Are you doing everything you can to prevent your stellar sellers from burning out? Take our quiz and find out.
