How to Help Your Sales Team Thrive in the Face of an Economic Downturn

A Kaliba insight, by Ned O'Neill.


As an IT recruitment firm based in Melbourne, Kaliba knows firsthand the benefits of having a sales team with a strong team culture, leadership, and a genuine drive to succeed.


But an economic downturn can test even the strongest of teams. The current state of inflation has reached levels that have not been seen in decades. Sales teams are experiencing unprecedented, tougher than usual conditions, and for some, this is causing distress and disruption in the workplace.


In this blog, we'll explore three key attributes that can help your team succeed even when the going gets tough.


Encouraging Team Support


A supportive team provides crucial support and motivation during tough times. When you're feeling down, your team members can offer encouragement and help counteract negative feelings. According to a study by LinkedIn, employees who feel a sense of belonging are 3.5 times more likely to be motivated, 2.1 times more likely to be satisfied with their job, and 1.9 times more likely to be engaged at work.


Consider what you are doing as a business to nurture your team, to build camaraderie and open conversation, and create a sense of inclusion and belonging.


Providing Strong Leadership


Strong leadership can provide direction and focus during an economic downturn. According to a survey by the Centre for Creative Leadership, 71% of executives believe that their leadership style directly impacts the success of their team. With strong leadership to guide the team through uncertainty, you will be able to collectively come out the other side stronger than before.


Therefore, when hiring a leader it’s important to look beyond just their prior experience. It’s important to ensure that your new leader demonstrates the soft skills and strong communication capability to nurture a team through good times and challenging ones too.


A Drive to Succeed


A sales team with a genuine drive to succeed is incredibly powerful in tough times. A study by Harvard Business Review suggests employees who feel connected to their company's mission are 8.1 times more likely to be engaged at work. With a motivated team, you can counteract complacency or giving up on goals and targets.


Setting your team up for success with a strong induction, ongoing learning and development, achievable targets, attractive performance rewards, and acknowledgement will all help to foster drive within a team.



Working in a sales team with a strong and supportive team culture, leadership, and genuine drive to succeed can build greater resilience. Don't let economic downturns bring your sales team down. By creating a supportive work environment, providing strong leadership, fostering a genuine drive to succeed, encouraging collaboration, and building resilience, you can navigate tough times and emerge even stronger.



If you are looking for a job in tech, or you are looking to recruit in the technology and sales space in APAC, please reach out to us for a chat or connect with the Kaliba team. 


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