Assessing Sales Organization Support for Top Talent

Keeping top talent isn’t about offering the biggest paycheck. It’s about offering the deepest respect. I’ve seen this play out over and over: Talented people walking away, Not because of money, But because they felt invisible. Most teams lose their best people because: ↳ They assume salary is enough ↳ They skip real recognition ↳ They expect loyalty without care But retention isn’t luck. Retention is built. 1/ Before They Think of Leaving It’s already too late. ➡️ Daily Recognition ↳ Praise their impact, not just effort ↳ Be specific: what did they actually do well? ↳ Celebrate wins in public ↳ And give feedback that helps them grow ➡️ Career Pathing ↳ Don't wait for them to ask "what's next?" ↳ Create visible growth ladders ↳ Offer projects that stretch, not just stress ↳ Make it easy to see a future at your company ➡️ Emotional Safety ↳ Are you listening when they speak up? ↳ Do they feel safe failing, learning, trying again? ↳ Respect isn’t just words, it’s culture in action 2/ During Moments That Matter The best companies don’t wait for exit interviews to start listening. ➡️ Milestones ↳ Promotions, birthdays, even tough seasons ↳ A simple “we see you” goes a long way ↳ Gratitude shouldn’t just be annual ➡️ Manager Check-ins ↳ Are they challenged? Bored? Burnt out? ↳ Ask. Then act. ↳ Growth talks > performance reviews ➡️ Team Culture ↳ Respect everyone’s time and boundaries ↳ Celebrate contributions, not just personalities ↳ Create space for quiet talent to shine too 3/ When They’re at Their Best That’s when they need the most support. ➡️ Don’t over-rely ↳ Top performers aren’t machines ↳ Give them rest. Give them space. ↳ Or they’ll go where they’re nurtured, not used ➡️ Pay Fair, Not Just High ↳ Transparency builds trust ↳ Compensation should match impact ↳ But value goes beyond money Remember: People don’t just stay for the perks. They stay where they feel valued, seen, and supported. What’s one thing your best boss ever did to make you feel valued? Drop it in the comments 👇 🔁 Repost this if you lead a team, or want to someday. ➕ Follow me for more people-first hiring & leadership insights.

𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝘀𝗮𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘁. 𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗻𝘀𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀? Top candidates want clear answers. They do not trust fluffy job specs or big promises. Now they qualify you the same way you qualify them. If your answers are unclear, they see a red flag. Great SaaS sellers treat their next job like a high-stakes deal. 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝟰 𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝗰𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗮𝘀𝗸: 1. 𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 % 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘮 𝘩𝘪𝘵𝘴 𝘲𝘶𝘰𝘵𝘢? → Be honest. → Explain why. → Ramp issue? Pipeline gap? Unrealistic targets? → No answer = no trust. 2. 𝘏𝘰𝘸 𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘪𝘱𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥? → AE-led outbound? → Inbound from marketing? → SDR support? Founder intros? → They want to know what exists and what is their job. 3. 𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘯𝘣𝘰𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘳𝘢𝘮𝘱 𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦? → How long until top reps hit quota? → What enablement, coaching, tools are there? → They want a real plan, not “you’ll figure it out.” 4. 𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘰𝘯 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘭𝘦𝘧𝘵? → Tough but fair. → Dodging or blaming “culture fit” says more about you. You’re not only evaluating talent. 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗲𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼𝗼. Come to every hiring call with the same clarity you expect from a seller. Top talent can spot BS from a mile away.

Top performers rarely leave without signaling it first. The signs are almost always there - but you'll see them only if you're paying attention. It usually starts subtly: 🔸 A down shift in engagement 🔸 Those almost immediate replies are now delayed until the next morning 🔸 A more frequent use of PTO, beyond what was their usual pattern These departure hints may seem minor in isolation, but together, they often paint a clear picture: something’s changed. In today’s high-stakes work environment (where the margin for error is razor-thin), the departure of a high-performing employee can be a major blow, especially in sales where every customer win counts. So how do you get ahead of regrettable employee churn? Here are a few key actions that leaders should start taking now: 1. Use 1:1s to build real connection....not just talk pipeline or put out fires. If your regular connects are nothing more just forecast reviews, you've missed the point. Use this time to genuinely understand how your sales rep is doing, not always just when that next deal will get closed. Be just as interested in who they are as you are in how much they can produce. Ask: What’s been energizing (or draining) you lately? How are you feeling about your current role? Is there anything you need from me that you're not getting? 2. Revisit comp plans and career paths before they have to ask. Compensation and career clarity aren’t just “nice to haves” for employees anymore. They’re the foundation of a long-term commitment to both you and the organization. If your top people aren’t sure what’s next for them, or feel like their compensation is falling behind market standard, there is a high degree of probability that they’re already halfway out the door. Don’t wait until they bring you their concerns in these areas because by then, chances are that a recruiter already has. Review market benchmarks regularly, and be proactive about career planning conversations. Show your top talent that you’re as invested in their future as you are in hitting your revenue number. Your best people don’t just disappear. They send signals - usually more than once.   The question is: Are you paying enough attention to notice…and act?

Why Your Best Sales Rep Is Quietly Taking Recruiter Calls Since the beginning of the year, one conversation I have had repeatedly with our clients is around retention of top sales performers. Even in a quieter market, strong talent continues to move. Teams are top grading. They are investing more time in training. They are reinforcing key territories with stronger client facing presence. For those focused on retention, here is what we are hearing directly from candidates. When I call strong sales professionals in my network, 9/10 times the conversation often opens up something like this; “I’m not really looking. I’m pretty happy where I’m at… but it would be a mistake not to keep my ears open to good roles, so tell me about what you have in mind”. They are not unhappy. They are curious. Across Canada and the US, the themes are consistent from the Reps: • They want clarity on the next steps in their careers • They want compensation that reflects performance and growth • They want internal support that helps them sell more • They want fewer internal barriers • They want to feel developed, not just relied on Most are not actively applying. But they will take the call. They want to understand: • What is my market value • Is there culture and mentorship • Is there a leadership path • Is there a stronger compensation model • Is there a clear vision for the business In this market, your best Rep is getting called. The question is whether or not they see a stronger future inside your business, than the one being described externally. Retention right now is not about reactive counter offers. Those rarely work in the long term. Usually for less than a year. It rarely comes down to just comp. It is about showing your top people what the next three to five years look like, before someone else does. Because we work inside the building materials industry every day, we have real visibility into what top Reps are thinking, where they feel supported, where they feel friction, and what keeps them committed long term. We use that perspective to help our clients grow into new markets, strengthen and upgrade their teams, and launch new initiatives with the right people in place from day one, rather than stepping in after a strong performer has walked out the door. We want to share this insight to strengthen retention, and keep the best people inside your businesses, and to empower the industry to make more strategic hiring decisions when/where gaps do exist. The DMC Salary Report on Sales Professionals in the Building Materials industry is almost ready, with distribution set for mid March. It will provide a clear view of current satisfaction levels, what reps value most, and how your compensation plans compare to the market. You can pre-register to receive a free copy of the report. Link and QR below in the comments to pre-register to be sent the report. DMC Recruitment Group #buildingmaterials #salaryreport #recruitment

If your sales org is bleeding talent or underperforming despite hiring the "right people," I got news for you, the people aren't the issue, its deeper Too often, leaders nail the profile and then shove great people into a broken system. It destroys their potential and eventually, they leave. Hiring sellers who are hungry, intellectually curious, and wired to win only works if you give them an environment where they can actually succeed. The right environment isn't complicated: → Clear, transparent expectations—role, performance, behavior → Equal accountability across the board (no exceptions for politics) → A visible growth path; how do they move up? → Aggressive but achievable quota with a roadmap to hit it → Comp that rewards the behaviors you actually want → Recognition for their wins and contributions → Supported in their pursuit; not just managed to their metrics Here's what executive leadership misses: your top performers see everything. They know when they're being used. They know when the return isn't fair. They just don't get emotional about it. They don't complain. They silently quit. And by the time you notice, you've already lost them. Issues like this are exactly what I help solve at Murphy Consulting Group. If this post hit home for you, lets chat.