Talented and dynamic sales professionals are constantly in great demand. But amid the Great Resignation, businesses have a unique chance to acquire new salespeople looking for better opportunities.
Yet with an inflow of talent on the job market comes competition to find the right candidate before another company does.
According to the 2021 Recruiter Nation Report, 70% of open positions are filled less than 30 days. On the other hand, recruiters have seen roughly 55% of candidates reject an offer owing to a lack of flexibility or the option to work remotely.
Because many job seekers are being pickier right now, it’s critical to ensure that what you have to offer corresponds with the goals of top candidates. Here are five practical ways to attract top sales talent in the post-pandemic market.
1. Allow for Remote or Hybrid Work
The worldwide transition to remote work in 2020 had two significant outcomes.
For starters, it has been shown that not only is remote work doable, but it can also enhance productivity.
Second, after being exposed to work-from-home living for a lengthy period, employees have developed a preference for remote work options.
According to a recent Gallup poll, 91 percent of U.S. workers who switched to remote work during the pandemic want to do so in some capacity again, and 54 percent want to split their time between home and the office.
The poll also found that three out of every ten employees will look for employment elsewhere if remote or hybrid work is not possible.
So, in order to attract new sales talent and keep existing team members, it’s vital to provide the flexibility that employees expect with hybrid or remote sales jobs.
One advantage is that you are no longer confined to employing local personnel. You can assemble a diverse team of talented sales representatives from all over the country or even worldwide.
Of course, fostering connection and cooperation will be more difficult under a hybrid workplace or entirely remote work model, but the benefits outweigh the risks. Your retention rates will rise, and your talent pool will grow.
2. Restructure Your Culture to Accommodate Hybrid Work
While providing remote or hybrid work options is important, be sure to balance this with a culture that encourages teamwork and the well-being of your sales associates.
Organization psychologist Candace Noonan Hadley believes that the success of a remote team culture boils down to two key principles: Care and communication.
Businesses with successful remote work models care about and invest in their employees’ well-being, and they maintain by encouraging over-communication.
Examine your sales team and the firm as a whole to determine what adjustments you can make to develop a culture that will set you apart from the competition. Here are a few tips for improving your culture:
- Allow regular breaks. Make sure your salespeople are taking lunch breaks and that they are taking regular breaks throughout the day. This will help to reduce burnout and improve job satisfaction.
- Celebrate your sales agents’ contributions. Your business would not run as well without their efforts, so make it a point to express your gratitude frequently. Even a simple “thank you” for completing a task or committing to a goal can show that you value them.
- Empower your sales managers. Allow middle-management leaders to act on new ideas or solutions generated by their direct subordinates. Managers will be more willing to listen to their staff if they can implement the feedback they get. This will increase the level of engagement among your sales personnel.
- Rethink your meetings. Respect everyone’s time by keeping each meeting to 5–9 participants—invite just the key stakeholders. Ask team members for suggestions on how to improve meetings. Schedule meeting-free time blocks so that your team can concentrate on their work while taking a break from Zoom.
3. Provide Competitive Pay and Benefits.
According to Payscale’s Fair Pay Impact Report, “Employees who are paid below market are overall 49.7% more likely than those who think they’re paid at or above market to seek a new job in the next six months.”
To remain competitive with other companies, sales executives should consider if it’s necessary to raise base pay or add other compensation incentives.
Remember that pay is only one component of a compensation package. Benefits and benefits are vital in attracting and maintaining exceptional sales personnel. This extends far beyond medical, dental, and vision insurance. Consider the following benefits to help your sales staff achieve work-life balance:
- Bereavement time off
- Career development education
- Childcare services or stipends
- Identity theft protection
- Maternity and paternity leave
- Paid vacation and personal time
- Retirement plans
- Student loan assistance
- Team building retreats
- Wellness and fitness programs
4. Articulate Your Mission or Higher Purpose
According to Naina Dhingra’s research for McKinsey, 70% of the modern workforce identifies their purpose in terms of their employment. Millennial and Generation Z employees are more likely to regard their work as a life calling.
Employers should ensure that their organization’s higher purpose is conveyed to employees so that they can appreciate the positive impact of their work. They will naturally work toward the company goal and vision if your firm’s mission and values serve as their compass.
Create your own mission statement for your website and distribute it to all job candidates. This will not only help you in recruiting enthusiastic sales talent, but it will also help you in weeding out individuals who are not aligned with your mission.
5. Use Effective Tools and Technologies.
Every sales team should have a robust technological infrastructure. However, studies suggest that an excessively complex IT stack with too many tools and platforms might turn off the ordinary employee.
According to a recent Gartner report, 75 percent of HR leaders agree that an increased number of digital touchpoints can lead to virtual overload or burnout. More worryingly, according to Workfront’s 2021 State of Work Report, over half of employees will consider leaving a job if they’re frustrated with the tech stack.
As a result, you’ll need to provide candidates with the right digital tools to help them do their jobs more efficiently. The following are some essential tools and platforms for your remote sales tech stack:
- Appointment scheduling applications
- Customer relationship management (CRM) software
- Data and metrics reporting software
- Project management software
- Sales and marketing automation software
- Sales prospecting, calling, and tracking tools
- Social media selling applications
- Video conferencing software
- Virtual private network (VPN) service
Hire Best Sales Professionals with Jarvis!
Hire best sales professionals, you will most likely need to make some changes to remain competitive in the eyes of job seekers in the post-pandemic market.
The good news is that there is more great talent available than ever before, especially if you are part of one of the numerous sales teams that are going remote.
If you need the staff to make the most of your sales team, Jarvis can help!
We’re a boutique staffing agency specializing in eCommerce recruitment . We understand the unique needs of companies through our deep roots in the industry. Our eCommerce recruitment professionals know what it takes to make good employees great.
From eCommerce sales representatives to eCommerce digital marketing specialists—we’ll help you source and recruit highly qualified professionals experienced in eCommerce.
To learn more, contact us or hire with Jarvis.
