117 team view the company and their role within it. Your efforts can encourage and inspire them, but your apathy or inaction can also make them withdraw. As the manager, it’s your responsibil- ity to develop a winning relationship and spur retention. "This job has changed for me over the years. New products, better products, better people, higher income with a more focused plan. It all starts with my manager, I’m confident if I didn’t work for her, I wouldn’t be in the great place I am today." Key Takeaways • Turnover happens too frequently, and it’s extremely expensive. It pays to understand what’s necessary to retain talent and put that into action. • Income continues to be a driving concern. Rewards are a major incentive, but cutting com- missions and negatively altering pay structures are a major reason that talent leaves a com- pany. • A company culture that engenders a sense of belonging and promotes confidence in the company, trust for management, and respect among peers promotes retention. • Factors like work flexibility and vacation time also contribute to a positive company culture, as opposed to overworking the sales teams. • Opportunities for growth and making use of employee strengths and talents is another criti- cal concern. Salespeople don’t want to work in a dead-end career. • Toxic company cultures that make salespeople feel undermined and disempowered are sure to cause them to look for a new job. • Recruitment, selection, development, and retention are all part of a cohesive employee ex- perience and impact one another. Positive changes should be made with an eye to how they’ll benefit the entire process. • Sales managers are one of the most important factors – if not the most important factor – in why a salesperson decides to join a company, stay with that company, or leave it.