How employers can best ensure they foster a healthy sales culture, which includes looking after staff wellbeing effectively to support retention.
It’s been a tough time for sales teams. With everything from Covid, to inflation and the cost of living crisis, they’ve had to adapt and persevere through very tough times. Workplaces have also massively changed - employers and leaders have had to adapt how they work and manage their teams, as many employees also look for career changes during this period.
“When employees are given the tools and opportunities to thrive, they will.”
With the past couple of years having been some of the most uncertain for decades, I too have had to work hard, in innovative ways, to propel our businesses forward in the face of adversity. Striving for a healthy sales culture when practices and opinions now vary vastly can be challenging, but coming up with solutions and policies that work for everyone is key to maintaining a positive workplace and keeping staff motivated; both of which will ensure a stronger, more profitable business.
In today’s world, flexitime and hybrid or remote offices are the norm. Gone are the days that a business needs firm hours and a compulsory office - in fact, employees no longer stand for it. Micromanaging and looking over junior shoulders is no longer viable and leaders and managers must look to new means of driving their team.
Tips for staff retention
Keeping the sales culture positive will play a huge role in how they perform and how loyal they are. As we all know, combatting a high rep turnover and staff retention is key to business success. There are several ways in order to keep staff happy, motivated and valuable to a business:
Unite the team. The first step in uncertainty is to remind your staff that you are ‘one’. As a leader it is important to even yourself out with your subordinates and reassure them that you are a team - if they go, there is no us. There is no business without an ‘us’.
Give them responsibility. Especially with tasks outside of their usual remits - ones that are helping the business get out of any sticky situations, of which there have been many for all businesses in recent times. This encourages them to feel needed and worthy of their roles, incentivising them to progress forward in a positive manner.
Create a community. Create a team WhatsApp chat and communicate regularly throughout the day to elevate morale outside of the office. We may not be together physically but this does not stop us connecting virtually. When communication is flowing, people are reminded that others are working and no one wants to be left behind.
Foster healthy competition. When there is a win at work, praise those responsible to the whole group. In the absence of a physical pat on the back in front of their peers, give them a shout out on the virtual group chat and reward them, publicly. When you are together, surprise the team with lunches out and days off when the sun’s out. Prove to everyone that credit’s given when credit’s due.
Not all milestones celebrated have to be work-related. Commend the birthdays, engagements, marathon runs and more, and send gifts to show this - e-cards or gift boxes through the mail. Recognising personal achievements reminds staff you see them as more than just your employees.
Mentorship. Match newer sales reps with more experienced ones. This benefits both employees. The newer ones learn and the more experienced will feel respected and honoured. It provides both with a sense of security and cuts down any potential feelings of isolation.
Having a common vision will ensure employees feel motivated to work towards the business goals. Ask the staff what they want to see from the company; their improvements, what they dislike, where they would like to grow/expand. This will give a sense of unity and that the business goals align with their own.
Learn and grow. Continuously learning and developing across all levels of the business is key to building a successful sales culture. When employees are given the tools and opportunities to thrive, they will.
Communicate. Being transparent with your employees and communicating effectively on business progress is vital whether you’re a small or large company. Allow your employees to easily connect with one another to create and sustain a cohesive, communicative culture that is in line with company values. Allow employees to feedback to the executive teams so they feel their voices are heard.
Do not micromanage. If the above points are followed, the business will have a culture that nourishes independence and hard work healthily, with the tools and the ability to do so, without the need for constant check-ins. No one works well being watched.
Korosh Farazad - Founder of & Chairman of Farazad Group Ltd
Buy my book - ‘Full Disclosure: Time is money, How to get sh!t done’
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