The devastated, disappointed, and inconvenienced: Emotional burnout & COVID-19
COVID-19 has many of us feeling mentally and emotionally burnt out. You're not alone. And there are things you can do to help cope.
Sales is a tough job in the best of times. Drop a global pandemic into the mix and it can seem near impossible. Only the most resilient survive in the high-pressure world of sales, but COVID-19 is putting even the most resilient to the test. Sales burnout is a very real risk for sellers today.
Rejection comes with the territory, but now sales reps are more likely to face stressed customers worried about tightening budgets.
They’re quarantined, forced to work from home in a profession that thrives on in-person engagement. How can sellers stay motivated amid so much adversity?
Combined with all the uncertainty and rapidly changing market conditions, it’s easy to see how a seller could feel at the end of their rope, mentally, emotionally, and physically.
The sales profession has suffered from a high turnover rate for a few years now. The pandemic and economic downturn it’s wrought only exacerbate the problem and increase the risk of burnout for people working in such a high-stress job.
How can organizations help their sales teams avoid falling into the abyss? Sellers are a vital link to customers, and their performance is crucial to a company reaching its goals. Combatting sales burnout must be a priority.
Sales burnout: Watch out for indicators
The first thing organizations need to do is make sure they are in touch with the mental and emotional state of their sellers. This means sales managers should have regular, one-on-one meetings with their sales reps that go beyond pipeline checks.
Take the time to understand what they’re dealing with, both professionally and personally. On top of trying to make their numbers in a challenging environment, they may be dealing with any number of pandemic-induced stressors: juggling childcare, managing distance learning for their kids, physical isolation, health fears, and anxiety.
Some top signs of sales burnout to watch for include:
- Lack of interest
- Irritability
- Prolonged negativity
- Loss of productivity
- Excessive fatigue, insomnia, headaches, and other physical ailments
There is no one-size-fits-all solution or quick fixes for sales burnout, but here are some things organizations can do to tackle the problem.
Maintaining sales performance in the new normal
Selling is never easy. It’s a profession where rejection is part of the daily routine, and only the most determined and skilled will succeed. Keeping sellers motivated is critical to organizations achieving their corporate objectives and revenue goals. Add to that a global pandemic and the economic crisis it’s wrought, and things get even trickier.…
Avoiding sales burnout: Pause, reevaluate, reset
If a seller is showing signs of burnout, encourage them to take a break and try to recharge. Sales pros are accustomed to working long hours, but today with work and home life blended together, it’s become especially hard for people to put a clear end to the workday.
Help your reps
Remind them to get away from the desk for regular breaks, mental health days, as well as vacation time.
Sales leaders can help by setting an example here.
Have clear boundaries where work doesn’t intrude on personal time.
Ask sales reps what might help and reevaluate their priorities. Point them to any available employee assistance programs and support programs. And take action if they’re frustrated with particular tasks or tools, need more coaching, or overwhelmed by goals that have become unrealistic in the COVID era.
Streamline and improve the workday
Make sure sellers have the tools they need to do their job today, not pre-pandemic. That means having tools that support a digitally savvy sales team that can readily engage with customers through digital channels and online meetings. If you’ve already invested in new videoconferencing or other tools, provide ample and accessible training.
- Reduce repetitive, manual work which can fuel burnout.
- Don’t go overboard in administrative tasks or reporting requirements as a way to fill up a seller’s schedule in a down economy.
- Tools that leverage automation and AI can reduce manual data entry to help sellers focus on effective customer engagement.
Consider making changes in sales processes that aren’t tuned to today’s realities and frustrate sales reps. Playbooks that worked well in guiding your sellers last year may not be as effective in 2020 as customers reconsider purchases, advises ZS, a professional services firm.
Since the pandemic “has disrupted the linearity of sales process execution,” organizations need to take a more flexible approach to customer engagement by adapting their sales processes, according to ZS.
Realigning and setting realistic goals
A seller’s main performance measurement is quota attainment, but meeting that monthly or quarterly sales goal in the past few months all depends on the target industry.
GET REAL: RETHINKING TARGETS
While COVID-19 has decimated some industries like travel and hospitality, others like telehealth are soaring.
Unrealistic targets that aren’t adjusted to the current environment will increase the risk of sales burnout.
“Sales incentive plans must adapt to the volatile environment in which factors beyond salespeople’s control play a huge role in determining results,” ZS experts wrote.
“With salespeople anxious about job security and other personal challenges, supervisors who push and seek to control may only amplify the stress. Times call for sales managers to shift their focus from pressing for performance to supporting their people,” they added.
Research by the Alexander Group this spring indicated that many sales leaders considered a range of methods to protect sellers’ pay, including quota changes, guarantees, and payout formula modifications.
For a salesperson in danger of burnout, a manager may want to consider setting some goals outside of quota to help maintain daily focus and motivation. Recognize smaller achievements, such as the number of meetings scheduled, emails sent, and customer interactions.
Coaching and professional development
This year’s forced plunge into virtual selling through online meetings and demos tossed field service teams into unchartered waters. While many field sales reps regularly use digital channels to engage with customers, not having the ability to meet customers in person eliminates vital selling tools.
Without support and coaching, a salesperson could quickly feel lost and demotivated.
Not only do they need to know how to use virtual selling tools, but they need to understand how to engage customers in a challenging environment. Aggressive product pitches or deal pushing will quickly turn off stressed customers. Managers can help coach their sellers in taking a more nurturing, service-oriented approach to helping solve customer problems.
With tight budgets, there’s a high level of financial scrutiny for purchases, so sellers must be ready with the right information.
The upheaval caused by the pandemic is forcing many businesses and workers to pivot and rethink old ways, and for some sales reps, it will be time to move on.
But considering how long it takes to onboard new sellers and how valuable good salespeople are, taking extra steps to prevent sales reps from burn out is essential for business health and future growth.
