According to a Gartner survey, almost 90% of sales employees experience burnout, which is troubling for organizations striving for high performance and retention. To foster loyalty, productivity, retention and competitive advantage, companies must prioritize the wellness and empowerment of sales employees.
The obvious problem is that burnout only compounds over time. The longer it persists, the more likely the company and the team are to lose productivity and profitability, even though employees may still be putting in the hours. Declining productivity is just the tip of the iceberg — according to Mayo Clinic, burnout can cause numerous physiological and psychological issues.
Understanding the Neuroscience Behind Burnout
The most concerning consequence of chronic work stress is its impact on the brain. Prolonged exposure to elevated cortisol levels, a byproduct of chronic stress, can damage the brain’s hippocampus, impairing long-term memory and harming the brain’s prefrontal cortex, which is essential for focused attention and executive functions like decision-making and planning. Sales professionals are particularly vulnerable to these effects due to the high-pressure environments they navigate daily, characterized by fear of rejection, performance pressure, and the stress of negotiation.
A study by UiPath found that 86% of sales employees would consider moving to an organization that offered them a culture with better professional development opportunities. In fact, the report indicated that 92% of sales professionals believe skill development is critical to their roles.
Every sales professional is at a different place in their journey, so modern training and development must meet them where they are, providing customized growth plans and on-demand access to microlearning and measurement — helping them become a better version of themselves daily.
Sales burnout can be avoided with consistent commitment to training and development.
The Link Between Burnout and Learning
Sales burnout negatively impairs learning and performance. When people feel supported and stress-free, they perform better and have more purpose and passion.
Training programs focused on building positive relationships, boosting professional confidence and redefining the “why” of work can stimulate the release of the brain’s “happy hormones.”
Dopamine, the “feel-good” hormone and part of the brain’s reward system, is activated when training leads to new action, and new action produces better results.
Serotonin, the “mood regulator,” influences sleep, digestion and memory. All three of these variables can affect the performance of any sales employee.
Oxytocin, the “love hormone,” promotes trust, empathy and connection. According to Korn Ferry, “Increasing oxytocin through empathetic and supportive relationships is an effective way to combat depersonalization and cynicism in the workplace,” reducing stress and amplifying engagement.
Endorphins, natural pain relievers, boost motivation and commitment to adopting new behaviors. As a result, stress and burnout diminish as activities become more purposeful and rewarding.
Triggering these hormones through thoughtful learning and performance initiatives can replace negative “burnout” stress with positive “fired up” energy. Winning produces more winning.
3 Steps to Reenergize Sales Teams
1. Create Sales Flow
To achieve a state of flow within your sales team, focus on developing competence and confidence, which together lead to consistency in performance. Visualize these elements as a triangle where the base represents competence and confidence, and the apex represents consistency. As your salespeople gain competence through training and build confidence in their skills, they are more likely to perform consistently. This consistent performance foster a smooth, effective sales flow that transforms stress into excitement and motivation.
2. Emphasize Practice Over Play
To achieve sales success, prioritize microlearning over long-form learning. Long-form learning can lead to learning fatigue, a contributor to burnout. If employees are overwhelmed by the volume and length of training sessions, they will be less engaged and, as a result, less likely to retain the training. This is a major barrier for skill development, the main ingredient for reducing burnout. Microlearning can significantly increase the rate of skill development, reengaging previously burned-out employees.
Just as high-performing athletes practice more than they play, sales professionals should also focus on consistent, intentional practice. When confidence is the catalyst for consistency, it all comes down to being game-ready..
3. Provide Solutions, Not Stress
Demanding high performance without providing adequate training leads to stress and dissatisfaction — key contributors to burnout. Training and development should create repeatable solutions to business challenges, equipping employees with the knowledge and skills to solve problems themselves.
The key is to understand that we can manage data, but we must lead people. By fostering empathy, collaboration and purposeful accountability, you can prioritize the holistic wellness of your sales team, ensuring they thrive, not just survive.
Final Thoughts
Burnout in sales is not inevitable. By implementing these three mindset shifts, training professionals can create environments where sales teams are energized and stress levels are minimized. When organizations invest in the whole health of their employees through strategic training and development, they create the conditions for sustainable success.
