Maslows Hierarchy of needs Applied to sales staff

Maslow's hierarchy of needs is a theory in psychology, proposed by Abraham Maslow. You can apply his theory to many different practices.For sales staff, it is important to consult the chart to see whether your sales staffs are satisfied and happy in themselves and in their career.The bottom stage of the ladder is physiological –You should ask yourself questions about your staff. Are they happy in their position? Are they over-stressed? If you find they are over stressed then what can you do to relieve this stress?Take this as an example. Perhaps you are recruiting for jobs Stockport to boost productivity, your original employees may be worried that the new team will create pressure, competition and undeserved stress. You should join them in a meeting and explain why you are recruiting new staff, that their jobs are safe, and that you are simply building the team – not trying to out-do them. Rivalry in the workplace is common, but it can cause unnecessary worry.Then it’s safety – Safety is important. Every workplace should have safety procedures for physical hazards but you should also be sure your staff FEEL safe in their environment. After safety, it’s belonging – Belonging is important, and takes time to build. Each new member of a team should be made to feel part of the gang. In a sales environment, this can prove tricky. A sales recruitment agency Stockport based firm commented, “Belonging is a key feature to working in a sales job. Belonging promotes feeling of team loyalty which is vital for healthy businesses.”Then we go onto esteem –  You should ask yourself which staff members have lower self esteem, why is this? If you feel they are low in confidence, don’t knock it further by asking for their opinion in a large board meeting. This may single them out and make them feel exposed in a humiliating situation or environment.The final stage is self-actualisation – Self-actualisation is all about accepting problems and solving them, lacking in prejudice and accepting the facts. You should use this stage to determine what your team members really feel and do, realistically criticising yourself if need be. Accepting this, find solutions. Maybe introduce team building days or training weeks to enable them to develop their sales skills further. The key is not to quit or ignore the problem – face it head on and you’ll find a happier sales team altogether.