Ah, the year-end crunch. That magical time when quotas loom, deals stall, and your team’s caffeine intake rivals a startup’s energy drink fridge. For sales leaders and RevOps pros, it’s go-time—but for your team, it can also feel like grind-time. The trick? Keeping the squad motivated without running them into the ground.
Here’s how you can lift spirits, keep energy high, and close out the year on a winning note:
1. Celebrate wins - big, small, and everything in between
Let’s be real: sales is a rollercoaster, and sometimes you’ve got to cheer for the baby steps. Closed a whale? That’s champagne-worthy. Finally got a response from that account you’ve been chasing for six months? That deserves a shoutout too.
Set up a quick-win leaderboard to celebrate the little victories—most meetings booked this week, fastest email response time, or best cold call opener. When everyone feels recognized, they’ll bring more energy to the table.
Pro tip: Take five minutes at the next team meeting to spotlight a few people crushing it. Peer recognition hits different.
2. Set up fun challenges
Who doesn’t love a little friendly competition? Create year-end challenges that make the grind fun. Here’s a few that during my time as a BDR got me excited and hustling the last few weeks of the year:
- Holiday hustle challenge: Whoever books the most meetings gets a $100 gift card.
- Pipeline power hour: Pick a time each day to see who can make the most calls or fire off the most emails. (Bonus points for creativity.)
- Festive spiffs: Throw in quirky prizes like “CEO for a Day” or a ridiculous office trophy.
This isn’t just about results; it’s about keeping spirits high when the pressure’s on.
3. Start a gratitude board
Let’s get sappy for a second. A little gratitude can go a long way. Set up a shared doc or a whiteboard where reps can shout out teammates who’ve helped them out, whether it’s saving a deal or just listening to a vent sesh. In previous jobs my team would have slack-channels dedicated specifically to shouting people out - trust me, it was the best seeing your name pop up and have people say something nice about you.
Encouraging a culture of appreciation makes the team feel like more than just a group of quota-chasers—it builds connection, which is priceless in a high-stress season.
4. Make time for team check-ins
Your reps are human (yes, even the ones who seem like robots with a headset). Stress peaks this time of year, so make space for 1:1s or team check-ins. Ask questions like:
- What’s one thing you need to hit your goals this month?
- How are you feeling about the workload?
- What can I take off your plate?
Sometimes just knowing leadership sees the pressure can lighten the load.
5. Balance productivity with well-being
Look, no one’s closing deals if they’re running on fumes. As much as we want to crush December numbers, burnout is a real risk. Encourage your team to:
- Take breaks during the day (a 10-minute walk can work wonders).
- Log off after hours (those emails can wait).
- Use any remaining PTO to recharge.
Lead by example—if you’re answering Slack pings at 11 PM, they’ll think they have to as well. Show them it’s okay to unplug.
6. End the year with a bang
Plan something fun to wrap things up, whether it’s a holiday lunch, a virtual happy hour, or a themed contest (ugliest sweater wins). Not only will it build camaraderie, but it’ll give the team something to look forward to beyond the grind.
And hey, don’t forget to toast to the hard work everyone’s put in this year. Even if you didn’t hit every number, recognize the effort. That matters just as much.
As a leader, your energy sets the tone. So stay positive, stay supportive, and remind your team why they signed up for this wild ride in the first place. With a little extra effort to boost morale, you can turn year-end stress into year-end success.
