A longitudinal examination of salesperson burnout: Understanding the within-person burnout process and how it can be managed".

Abstract

Salespeople are at increased risk of burnout, due to the stressful nature of the job role. Burnout is a process that develops over time, and although a sequential process of salesperson burnout has been proposed, present research is inadequate to determine the true burnout sequence. The current study therefore provides longitudinal evidence to establish the within-person burnout process. Additionally, sales research typically examines how to reduce burnout symptoms by examining key antecedents. Despite this, burnout is still very present in the salesforce. The current study takes an alternative approach to mitigating burnout symptoms, by understanding how positive feedback, coping strategy, and locus of causality affect the impact of earlier burnout symptoms on more advanced symptoms. Key theoretical and practical implications are given, and limitations and future research avenues discussed.