Why Your Sales Team Is Churning—And How to Fix It

Published on June 12

Sales turnover isn’t new, but in 2025, it’s more disruptive, and expensive, than ever. Companies are investing heavily in onboarding, tech stacks, and enablement.

Yet reps are still leaving within 12 to 18 months.

If your BDRs or AEs are churning, it’s not just bad luck, it’s likely systemic.

Here’s why sales reps are leaving—and how to stop the churn before it damages your pipeline, morale, and momentum.


1. Unrealistic Expectations, aka "The OTE Trap"

Many companies attract candidates with high OTEs (on-target earnings) but fail to provide the support to actually reach them. If reps realize after onboarding that quota is out of reach, the clock starts ticking.

Red flags:

  • Less than 30% of your team hits quota
  • Poor territory allocation or outdated lead lists
  • Quotas set without recent rep input

Fix it:

Audit your comp plans quarterly. Be transparent in interviews about ramp timelines and success metrics. If OTE is real, show the proof. If not, adjust—because trust lost early is hard to recover.

2. Weak Onboarding and Ramp

The first 90 days can make or break a new rep. A lack of structure, unclear expectations, or poor product training leads to early exits.

Red flags:

  • Reps don’t get access to tools or accounts until week 2 or 3
  • No defined 30/60/90-day plan
  • No ongoing coaching after onboarding

Fix it:

Build a structured onboarding process that includes:

  • Sales playbook review
  • Shadow calls and mock objections
  • Clear benchmarks like calls made, meetings booked, etc.

And assign a mentor. Reps need to feel guided—not just dumped into a CRM and wished good luck.

3. No Visible Career Path

Most sales reps are ambitious. If they don’t see a future at your company, they’ll start looking for one elsewhere.

Red flags:

  • Promotions go to outside hires
  • No clear criteria for advancement
  • Managers too busy to talk about career growth

Fix it:

Create documented growth paths for each sales role. For example:

  • BDR → Senior BDR → AE → Senior AE
  • AE → Team Lead → Sales Manager → Director

Make these paths public, and review progress during 1:1s. Growth conversations should be regular—not reserved for exit interviews.

4. Poor Sales Leadership

Salespeople don’t just quit companies—they quit bad managers. If coaching, recognition, or support is missing, even top performers will eventually walk.

Red flags:

  • Reps say they don’t get feedback (or only get negative feedback)
  • Managers are always in meetings, never available
  • 1:1s are skipped or rescheduled often

Fix it:

Invest in training your frontline managers. Great sales leadership means:

  • Active coaching (not just pipeline reviews)
  • Leading with empathy and clarity
  • Helping reps grow—not just hit numbers

5. Clunky Tools and Processes

You hired your reps to sell. If they spend more time battling outdated CRMs, manual data entry, or bad lead sources, frustration builds fast.

Red flags:

  • Reps complain about time wasted on admin
  • Lead quality is inconsistent
  • No standard process across the team

Fix it:

Simplify and streamline your sales tech stack. Audit your process from a rep’s point of view:

  • Is it easy to access leads?
  • Are tasks automated where they can be?
  • Are tools integrated or siloed?

Less friction = more focus = less churn.

6. Burnout and Overload

Sales is tough. But when pressure becomes unrelenting, reps burn out—and burnout leads to exits.

Red flags:

  • Reps avoid taking PTO
  • Quotas increase without added support
  • Mental health and wellness aren’t addressed

Fix it:

Build a culture of balance. Encourage time off, normalize breaks, and lead by example. Track signs of burnout (e.g. declining productivity, increased sick days, disengagement) and act on them early.

7. They’ve Outgrown the Role

Sometimes, churn isn’t about dissatisfaction—it’s about ambition. High performers want challenge, variety, and a chance to lead.

Red flags:

  • No new responsibilities offered after consistent quota attainment
  • Reps ask for more ownership but get ignored
  • You lose top talent to competitors offering growth

Fix it:

Don’t wait until a rep threatens to leave to offer them more. Proactively identify your top performers and involve them in:

  • Team coaching
  • Special projects
  • Cross-functional initiatives

Even if you don’t have a promotion slot, there are ways to stretch and retain them.

Final Thoughts

Sales churn isn’t inevitable, but it is preventable.

The companies retaining their best reps in 2025 aren’t just offering higher pay. They’re building better systems, better leadership, and better growth paths.

If your reps are leaving, start by asking:

  • Are they set up to succeed?
  • Are they supported and coached?
  • Can they clearly see what comes next?

Fix those three things—and you won’t just reduce churn. You’ll build a sales team that sticks, scales, and sells better than ever.