Business owners are well aware of the importance of having loyal people in their employ. Given the crucial role of customer engagement in the overall performance of a business, the loyalty of sales employees is one of the single most important factors in ensuring profitability.

Because of their longer tenure, loyal sales employees have amassed more skills and knowledge than their more recently-employed counterparts. They are therefore generally better able to engage with customers in an effective manner. In addition, they tend to bring in more business and cost less when compared to other employees.

Covering factors such as employee benefits, satisfaction in the workplace, and more, this particular study supports the prevailing notion of the value of employee engagement and loyalty.

What About the Employee?

Just how beneficial is it for an employee to remain loyal to an employer or a company? Unfortunately, the situation isn’t exactly mutually beneficial. In most cases, employees who stay on in a company long enough are at a distinct disadvantage, and the situation only worsens as time goes on. Job dissatisfaction, missed opportunities, and poor work performance are only some of the risks that sales employees face the longer they stay on a job they don’t like.

To Quit or to Stay On?

Although quitting may seem to be the ideal solution out of this fix, it isn’t necessarily the only one. Sales employees who find themselves dreading coming in to work may find a feasible alternative in initiating dialogue with their employer or redefining their professional goals. In some cases, planning a more focused career path could be the solution.

Defining a Career Path for Yourself

Sales professionals owe it to themselves to map out their own career paths, whether or not it conforms to the goals of their employers. There isn’t much point to staying on in the same job simply for reasons of loyalty if you feel that you deserve something better. Whether you are looking to expand your capabilities or simply explore new opportunities, don’t sell yourself short by neglecting to develop a clearly defined career path.

Explore Opportunities at with Your Current Boss

Just because you are good at something doesn’t mean that’s the only thing you can do. Any experienced sales professional will have developed skills and knowledge, which may or may not be directly related to the job at hand. Even if you are not able to fully utilise these skills, there is no telling that you won’t be able to put them to good use at another job. It is therefore important to keep growing and to continually expand on your sales skillset.

Focus on a Specific Area of Expertise

Consider the relative benefits of developing your strengths in a specific area of sales. As useful as a broad skill set can be, you run the risk of spreading yourself too thin if you try to do too much. You’ve probably heard the expression: “jack of all trades, master of none”. That could just as well apply to the sales profession as anything else.

There is nothing stopping you from learning auxiliary skills and picking up some knowledge here and there. In fact, it could pay off in your current job or any other one that you might take on down the line. But focusing on your key area of expertise will help you develop a degree of proficiency and professional capability that will be beneficial to your long-term career.

As Lend CEO Shaun McGowan says, “Whether it means enrolling in night classes or attending a series of workshops, now is a good time to invest in yourself. Increasing your knowledge will definitely pay dividends”.

You Should be Re-evaluating Your Goals

A lot of things can change in the sales profession over time. Baseless loyalty to your goals is just as pointless as unwarranted loyalty to an employer or workplace. As you grow in the business and your priorities change, there is no reason your goals shouldn’t change along with you either. Re-evaluate your goals periodically and make an honest assessment as to whether they are still worth chasing after. Goals give you something to strive for and to work towards–don’t let them tie you down.

You will have to decide whether your loyalty is actually beneficial to you, or if it is simply a one-way street (all give and no get). If you have been at the same job, in the same position, and in the same company for several years, it may be time to think about whether or not there are greener pastures for you out there.