Changing the narrative: introducing the CARE framework for salesperson well-being
Authors: Tanner, E.C., Fehl, A., Brauer, D., Brauer, E., Childs, D., Hancock, T., McClure, C., Swan, E.
Journal: Journal of Personal Selling and Sales Management
Publication Date: 01/01/2026
eISSN: 1557-7813
ISSN: 0885-3134
DOI: 10.1080/08853134.2025.2608591
Abstract:Although there has been a recent increase in research on salesperson well-being, much of it remains fragmented, using abstract frameworks with general rather than individualized implications for practice. In contrast, this research takes an ethics-of-care lens to present a holistic, proactive, and personalized process for sustained salesperson well-being. Adopting a hermeneutic approach, we build on existing sales research, practitioner literature, and in-depth interviews with both sales leaders and frontline salespeople to develop the CARE framework—Cultivate, Assess, Reinforce, Empower—and situate it along a Continuum of Care that spans promotion, prevention, treatment, and recovery. CARE complements established approaches by embedding a continual, relational process of care into everyday sales management, while articulating tensions and tradeoffs. This framework highlights the dual nature of care in sales organizations: the provision of resources and support structures and the cultivation of emotional trust, psychological safety, and a culture of well-being. A key insight is that resources must be paired with genuine sentiment to deliver a positive benefit for frontline salespeople. We conclude with a future research agenda integrating our ethics-of-care framework into existing sales research streams.
Source: Scopus
Changing the narrative: introducing the CARE framework for salesperson well-being
Authors: Tanner, E.C., Fehl, A., Brauer, D., Brauer, E., Childs, D., Hancock, T., McClure, C., Swan, E.
Journal: Journal of Personal Selling and Sales Management
Publication Date: 01/01/2026
Volume: 46
Issue: 2
Pages: 217-233
eISSN: 1557-7813
ISSN: 0885-3134
DOI: 10.1080/08853134.2025.2608591
Abstract:Although there has been a recent increase in research on salesperson well-being, much of it remains fragmented, using abstract frameworks with general rather than individualized implications for practice. In contrast, this research takes an ethics-of-care lens to present a holistic, proactive, and personalized process for sustained salesperson well-being. Adopting a hermeneutic approach, we build on existing sales research, practitioner literature, and in-depth interviews with both sales leaders and frontline salespeople to develop the CARE framework—Cultivate, Assess, Reinforce, Empower—and situate it along a Continuum of Care that spans promotion, prevention, treatment, and recovery. CARE complements established approaches by embedding a continual, relational process of care into everyday sales management, while articulating tensions and tradeoffs. This framework highlights the dual nature of care in sales organizations: the provision of resources and support structures and the cultivation of emotional trust, psychological safety, and a culture of well-being. A key insight is that resources must be paired with genuine sentiment to deliver a positive benefit for frontline salespeople. We conclude with a future research agenda integrating our ethics-of-care framework into existing sales research streams.
Source: Scopus
Changing the narrative: introducing the CARE framework for salesperson well-being
Authors: Tanner, E.C., Fehl, A., Brauer, D., Brauer, E., Childs, D., Hancock, T., Mcclure, C., Swan, E.
Journal: JOURNAL OF PERSONAL SELLING & SALES MANAGEMENT
Publication Date: 03/04/2026
Volume: 46
Issue: 2
Pages: 217-233
eISSN: 1557-7813
ISSN: 0885-3134
DOI: 10.1080/08853134.2025.2608591
Source: Web of Science