According to the most recent Benchmarks Survey published by the DePaul University Center For Sales Leadership (compiled in association with Selling Power magazine), the respondents’ annual turnover rate of outside sales personnel was 28%, and the average per capita cost of turnover was $35,001. Furthermore, “The profile of age distribution within the sales force continues to skew toward older employees (with 32% over 46 years of age), insuring that acquiring and developing talent over the next 10 years will be an ongoing significant challenge within most sales organizations. Current labor statistics indicate that most firms will have to face the loss of nearly 30-40% of their workforce by 2016 – a demographic bubble which has already created a fierce battle for talent in the recruitment of sales personnel and other disciplines in today’s growing enterprise.”
The ranked causes attributed for this turnover were as follows:
Job expectations no longer met
Unable to see career growth
Job demands overwhelm personal life
Poorly managed by supervisor
Limited earning potential
Not adequately appreciated
Not involved in decision making