Discover 4 proven strategies to reduce burnout in sales and support teams—boost focus, morale, and productivity with tools like Glyph AI.
Burnout in high-pressure sales and support roles has reached critical levels, leading to overwhelmed staff and subpar service. In call centers, 74% of agents report feeling burned out and annual turnover runs 30–45%. Replacing each departing employee can cost up to 1.5–2× their annual salary, so this revolving door of talent carries a steep price. Worse, burnout hurts customer experience – 47% of Gen Z consumers will drop a brand after a single bad support interaction. For executives, investing in burnout prevention is not just about compassion; it’s about protecting productivity, customer loyalty, and the bottom line.
Below are four high-impact strategies to reduce burnout and keep your customer-facing teams engaged and effective:
One root cause of burnout is when talented employees are stuck doing tedious “busywork” instead of truly meaningful tasks. Research shows that shallow work – the routine, low-value tasks like data entry, status meetings, or endless emails – produces burnout by expending energy on work that lacks purpose. In fact, the average salesperson today spends only 28% of their week on actual selling, with the rest lost to non-selling activities like administrative updates. This mismatch leaves teams exhausted and frustrated at day’s end, wondering what impact they really made.
Solution: Ruthlessly streamline or offload the low-value tasks that don’t require your team’s expertise. Remove redundant reports, automate simple administrative duties, and trim unnecessary meetings. By cutting the clutter, you free your sales and support teams to focus on high-impact, meaningful work – like building client relationships and resolving complex customer issues. Employees who spend more time on work that matters have a greater sense of accomplishment and purpose, which is a powerful antidote to burnout. The boost in productive selling/service time directly contributes to higher revenue and better customer satisfaction, a win-win for the business.
For instance, organizations that reduced time spent on administrative tasks by 20% saw an increase in sales output and overall employee satisfaction. By conducting periodic audits of your teams' workflows and gathering feedback on what's wasting time, leaders can identify and eliminate or automate the biggest productivity drains. Additionally, aligning team members with roles that match their strengths and interests reinforces their sense of purpose and further protects against burnout.
Modern technology is a key ally in reducing burnout. The right tools can take repetitive, stressful tasks off your team’s plate and let them focus on more fulfilling work. For example, Glyph AI’s Voice Workflow automatically records calls or meetings, transcribes them, and generates organized notes and action items without any manual effort from your reps. Instead of spending time typing up call summaries or logging data, your sales and support staff get instant documentation. This not only saves hours per week but also meaningfully lowers stress – studies show that call centers using AI assistance saw agent stress drop by 40% after implementing voice automation.
Technology can also streamline how employees access knowledge. Advanced internal search tools and knowledge bases let team members find answers or customer information in seconds, rather than digging through files or inboxes. Consider that employees can waste nearly 20% of their workweek searching for information; smart knowledge management software can give that time back. By leveraging AI and automation for the drudgery – from data entry to FAQ responses – you reduce the cognitive load on your team. Fewer repetitive tasks mean fewer mistakes, less frustration, and a more energized workforce.
Beyond Glyph AI, companies are also adopting CRM automation, chatbots for first-line support, and scheduling tools to optimize workload distribution. These systems not only relieve individual burdens but also provide management with insights into work patterns, allowing for better resource allocation. The key is choosing tools that integrate seamlessly into existing workflows and are easy to adopt, ensuring fast ROI.
Burnout often stems from chronic overwork and lack of balance. Even your most dedicated employees need sustainable work habits to perform at their best over the long run. To build a resilient sales or support team, promote healthier ways of working and work-life balance as a core part of your culture. This can include offering flexible scheduling (e.g. remote or hybrid work options) and setting clear boundaries like after-hours “Do Not Disturb” policies or designated no-meeting days. Such measures ensure team members have regular periods to recharge.
Encourage employees to take full lunch breaks, use their vacation days, and disconnect when off the clock. You can also provide wellness resources – for example, stress management workshops, counseling support, or even simple initiatives like step challenges – to show that leadership prioritizes their well-being.
The payoff for these efforts is significant. Companies that champion work-life balance programs see higher productivity and lower turnover as a result. When people have the time and permission to rest and manage their personal lives, they return to work more focused, creative, and engaged. In practice, an account manager who isn’t answering emails at midnight will be far more patient and effective during the next day’s client calls. Supporting healthy work practices builds long-term team resilience – meaning fewer sick days, less burnout, and steady performance month after month.
Executives can reinforce this mindset by modeling balance themselves. When leaders respect time off and promote wellness initiatives, they signal to the team that it’s safe to do the same. Additionally, consider regular pulse surveys to monitor team health and identify burnout risks early. A proactive approach to well-being creates a more stable, high-performing team culture.
Frontline teams thrive when they feel valued and know what’s expected of them. To prevent burnout and turnover, leaders must actively cultivate morale and motivation. First, establish a culture of recognition where achievements are noticed and celebrated. A sincere thank-you or public shout-out for hitting a target can greatly uplift an employee’s spirits. Small gestures like bonus incentives, “rep of the month” awards, or team celebrations for reaching milestones also reinforce that the company appreciates hard work. This isn’t just about being nice – it has direct business benefits. Over 80% of employees say they work harder when they feel appreciated, and 69% report that recognition and rewards keep them loyal to their employer.
Equally important is providing clarity in roles and goals. Unclear or shifting priorities create stress and frustration, whereas clear, achievable targets actually reduce stress and keep teams focused. Make sure each team member understands their objectives, performance metrics, and how their work contributes to the business. Setting well-defined goals (e.g. using SMART goals or OKRs) helps employees prioritize their time and reduces the anxiety of not knowing where to concentrate their efforts. Regular manager check-ins can reinforce clarity – adjusting goals if needed and acknowledging progress.
When people know what success looks like and receive recognition for their contributions, they feel a greater sense of control and purpose in their jobs. The result is a high-morale environment where sales and support teams are motivated to excel rather than spiral into burnout.
Invest in leadership training that helps managers become better communicators and coaches. Empathetic leadership drives trust and loyalty – two pillars of morale. Also, consider career development plans to show employees they have a future at your company. When people feel they’re growing and being seen, they’re far less likely to burn out or disengage.
Bottom Line: Prioritizing these burnout-fighting strategies is a smart investment in your organization’s success. When your sales and support teams can focus on meaningful work, leverage efficient tools, maintain a healthy work rhythm, and feel valued and guided, they perform at their peak. You’ll see the returns in the form of higher productivity, better customer satisfaction, and lower costly turnover.
Reducing burnout isn’t just about caring for employees (though it achieves that) – it also protects your revenue and reputation. By proactively implementing these four strategies, you’re investing in a more engaged, resilient workforce that will drive sustained performance and growth for the company.
Ready to take the next step? Learn how Glyph AI’s Voice Workflow can reduce burnout and improve your team’s output – visit glyph.tools
Gallup, 2022. State of the Global Workplace 2022 Report. [online] Available at: https://www.gallup.com/workplace [Accessed 21 Apr. 2025].
McKinsey & Company, 2021. The Future of Work: The Rise of Hybrid and AI-Augmented Teams. [online] Available at: https://www.mckinsey.com/future-of-work [Accessed 21 Apr. 2025].
Salesforce, 2023. State of Sales: 5th Edition. [online] Available at: https://www.salesforce.com/resources/research/sales-report/ [Accessed 21 Apr. 2025].
Harvard Business Review, 2019. The High Cost of Employee Disengagement. [online] Available at: https://hbr.org/2019/01/the-high-cost-of-employee-disengagement [Accessed 21 Apr. 2025].
Deloitte, 2022. Burnout and Workforce Turnover Trends. [online] Available at: https://www2.deloitte.com/insights [Accessed 21 Apr. 2025].
Microsoft, 2021. The Next Great Disruption Is Hybrid Work—Are We Ready? [online] Available at: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/worklab [Accessed 21 Apr. 2025].
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