Remote Sales: Managing Productivity with Discretionary Work

Remote sales is the practice of conducting sales activities from locations outside a traditional office setting, and it is becoming increasingly accepted and necessary in today’s business landscape.

The key to having a successful remote sales team is harnessing discretionary work to maintain productivity and morale among remote sales teams.

A recent study published in Forbes indicated that 74% of business professionals anticipate remote work becoming the norm. This shift introduces new challenges, especially for sales teams that traditionally operated in an office environment. Common sales leadership themes, such as optimizing sales team member productivity while maintaining positive morale in a remote selling context, are critical.

Research shows that some employees excel in a remote work environment, while others face difficulties. The solution to bridging this gap and ensuring team-wide productivity is the implementation of Discretionary Work.

Understanding Employee Work Styles in Remote Sales

Remote sales work demonstrates that a majority of employees can effectively perform their duties outside the office. However, most remote employees fit into one of three categories:

• Employees who work excessively hard risk burnout.
• Employees who manage their workload while maintaining work-life balance.
• Employees who struggle to maintain focus and complete tasks.

Sales leaders must implement a framework that supports all three groups by identifying key priorities and assigning estimated completion times for tasks.

Consider the analogy of assembling IKEA furniture: with clear instructions, both written and visual, most people can achieve a successful outcome, even if they lack experience.

How to Make a Discretionary Work Plan for Remote Selling

Discretionary Work involves creating a plan with time estimates, allowing employees to organize their productive time effectively and set achievable targets.

A Discretionary Work plan details a productivity strategy focusing on critical activities for a role. It includes:

• Critical Selling Activities – Essential tasks that must be completed.
• Activity Highlights – Key aspects of tasks that cannot be overlooked.
• Activity Demonstrations – Instructions available in written, visual, and audio formats to accommodate different learning preferences.
• Activity Estimates – Suggested times for completing essential activities.
• Activity Measures – Metrics for performance that leaders will monitor.

Providing sales teams with critical activities, clear instructions, and necessary support ensures productivity without burnout.

Optimizing Your Remote Sales Team with a Discretionary Work Plan

Discretionary Work is a structured yet adaptable framework that empowers remote sales teams to remain productive without feeling overwhelmed.

By concentrating on critical activities, delivering clear instructions, and establishing realistic time estimates, this approach supports employees regardless of their work habits. It helps achieve key objectives while ensuring remote work remains a viable and effective option.

As remote sales become a permanent element in the business world, implementing such systems is vital for retaining top talent and attracting new team members. Embracing and refining these strategies will secure a prosperous future for your remote sales team in the evolving work environment.

Key Remote Sales Takeaways

• In an era where remote sales are becoming standard
• Understanding Employee Work Styles in Remote Selling
• How to Make a Discretionary Work Plan for Remote Sales

Key Takeaways

• Employees who work excessively hard risk burnout.
• Employees who manage their workload while maintaining work-life balance.
• Employees who struggle to maintain focus and complete tasks.
• Critical Selling Activities – Essential tasks that must be completed.
• Activity Highlights – Key aspects of tasks that cannot be overlooked.