This new research about why employees leave can inform staff retention strategies for sales employees. Find out the motivation behind voluntary leavers in 2014.

Why Sales Employees Leave and Retaining Staff 2014

great{with}talent has collected exit data from 12,837 workers, 1,761 of these are sales employees. The results show why staff leave in 2014.

It also shows the importance of conducting exit surveys as the results can improve employee retention strategies. (Click the below image for more.)

Read: New Sales Employees Onboarding and Staff Engagement 2014.

Comparing these results to the overall reasons why employees leave shows significant trends. Like with the entire group, this exit data focuses on voluntary leavers. As the graph shows, this is the vast majority of the sample group.

The results of this staff survey, however, shows a significantly lower number of involuntary leavers. There’s also a much higher percentage of ‘unhappy’ leavers.

It’s clear that staff retention and employee engagement strategies need to be tailored for sales employees. This group evidently have specific needs that are not being met.

Employee Retention Strategies

Sales employees listed a more competitive salary elsewhere (38%) as their top reason for leaving their role. This is significantly higher than the average (33%).

Meanwhile low morale (35%) came in second place which didn’t rank in the overall group’s top drivers for staff turnover. This is a cause for concern.

It’s always important for organisations to offer a competitive salary. This is even more of an issue for retaining staff whose employment doesn’t offer high morale.

Similarly a lack of relationship between job performance and reward (32%) was cited as a bigger issue. Employee retention strategies need to be put in place to decrease staff turnover due to these variables.

There are lots of low cost recognitions to increase employee engagement which in turn improves staff retention. This can simply be congratulating an employee on good work: quickly in person, via e-mail or a handwritten note.

Along the same lines, organisations can post a picture of a team on company social media and congratulate them. This particular approach can make employees more supportive of each other, build team morale and create some competition.

There are lots of other small and simple ways to make work fun. Likewise, these initiatives can build teamwork and heighten morale even simply the prospect of an upcoming event can help.

Read: The Importance of Exit Interviews for Employees.

The fourth highest reason for voluntary attrition was lack of promotion opportunities (32%). great{with}talent‘s research has shown this is a bigger concern among male employees yet there are lots of ways to combat it.

The best cure is prevention. During recruitment and onboarding staff need to be aware of the opportunities and how to reach their career goals.

This can be continued through shadowing and mentoring to continue skills building and keep them on track. As a result, employees will be more indispensible to the organisation, fulfilled and productive.

Again, an inadequate level of pay (30%) has been raised as a higher concern. As aforementioned competitive pay is important.

Yet, this issue can become less of a focal point if employee engagement is higher. Through creative recognitions, rewards and a little whimsy staff can get benefits they wouldn’t get from other organisations.

The differences between sales employees and leavers as a whole shows the importance of exit surveys. It can easily and cheaply improve staff engagement and employee retention strategies in 2014.

Contact great{with}talent and find out more about their LastOpinion exit interviews.

(Main image from Promotional Products)