By 2028, it is expected that 10 percent of sales professionals will use the time saved through artificial intelligence (AI) to engage in 'overemployment, ' a practice where individuals secretly hold multiple jobs simultaneously. This forecast comes from a recent report by Gartner, Inc. , a top research and advisory firm. The increasing adoption of AI in sales is anticipated to significantly change how salespeople handle their workloads and careers, primarily due to efficiency gains brought by AI automation. Gartner’s extensive survey, conducted in September 2024 and involving 3, 496 employees across various global markets, revealed that 41 percent of salespeople acknowledge that new technologies have improved their efficiency by automating routine, repetitive tasks. This automation has freed up substantial capacity, enabling sales staff to consider taking on additional employment beyond their primary roles. Overemployment is becoming a critical issue for business leaders, particularly chief sales officers (CSOs), who must remain alert to employee engagement levels. Alyssa Cruz, Senior Principal Analyst in Gartner’s Sales Practice, stressed the importance of detecting disengagement signs among top sales talent. She warned that ignoring this emerging work pattern could weaken seller engagement and risk losing valuable employees. Cruz recommends that CSOs proactively adjust incentive structures to reflect these changing work behaviors. Specifically, she urges revising compensation plans to alter or remove both hard and soft commission caps, aiming to prevent salespeople from feeling under-rewarded as their returns diminish.

This strategy helps organizations sustain motivation and retain their sales teams effectively. Managing the future of sales involves not only embracing technological advances but also understanding employees’ behavioral responses to these shifts. Gartner’s predictions highlight the dual challenge for CSOs: leveraging AI to boost productivity while nurturing engagement and loyalty among staff. The report emphasizes AI’s transformative effect on the sales landscape, showing how technology is reshaping work patterns and expectations. As AI takes over repetitive tasks, sellers gain more time and flexibility—many of whom may use it to silently pursue extra jobs. This trend toward overemployment demands thoughtful leadership to ensure organizations reap AI’s benefits while keeping their sales forces committed and satisfied. Moreover, Gartner’s findings suggest that traditional sales compensation and management models may no longer suffice in this evolving environment. Companies must innovate their reward systems and engagement approaches to align with the changing roles and motivations of sales employees. In summary, AI is set to dramatically change sales team dynamics by freeing up time and enabling new behaviors like overemployment. Progressive CSOs will need to respond proactively with adaptive compensation frameworks and attentive management to retain talent and maintain strong performance. The intersection of technological innovation and human behavior presents both challenges and opportunities for the future of sales leadership.