Sales jobs have usually carried a fair amount of stress. Between demanding clients, tough quotas and a perpetual expectation to deliver, the pressure comes from many different sources. Throw in the pandemic and sales reps have even more stress to manage. That’s why Craig Moore, head of sales for Vyond, says sales leaders should take time to re-prioritize their team members’ overall well-being.

Moore points out that one in three employees say that their company does not take self-care and mental health seriously. Without a focus on wellness, your sales reps may be headed straight for burnout. Fortunately, there are several ways you can focus on your sales reps’ mental health and equip them with the tools and strategies to overcome challenges and manage daily stresses.

In this issue of Promotional Consultant Today, we share Moore’s thoughts on how leaders can better support their employees’ overall wellness.

1. Prioritize frequent check-ins. One way to embrace wellness-driven leadership is to touch base with each of your sales reps and find out how they are doing at work and in their personal life. This may look like a virtual coffee meeting or socially distanced in-person meet-up, says Moore. He adds that it’s important to look for what motivates each of your team members. When you understand what truly drives them, you can help encourage them in the best way possible.

2. Set the tone. Sales leaders have a responsibility to create a culture that is performance-driven while also fun and empathetic. Moore says these elements can exist together when you work to make it happen every day. You can do this by showing each sales rep that you care about their growth and well-being and that you understand what motivates them.

3. Make communication easy. Another way you can prioritize wellness in your leadership is simplifying communication. Moore points out that it is all too easy to drown in an ocean of internal meetings, emails and IMs. Look for ways to scale back or streamline your communication, whether that means implementing a Zoom-free Friday to give sales rep a break from technology or instituting a “take five” rule where you commit to ending each meeting five minutes earlier than planned.

When it comes to implementing wellness-driven leadership practices, try starting by putting reminders in your calendar. This will help you stay accountable and ensure you have time to check in with your sales reps regularly. Whatever cadence you choose, the important thing is that you stay consistent and encourage open and honest discussion.

As a sales leader, you help shape the overall tone for your sales team. If you want your team members to feel comfortable asking for help or sharing what’s on their mind, you have to be intentional about creating that kind of culture. Try writing down your values and aspirations for your team culture, suggests Moore. And remember that you can always adjust your processes as you go along.

Compiled by Audrey Sellers

Source: Craig Moore is the head of sales for Vyond, a cloud-based animated video creation platform.