The impact of salesforce diversity and inclusion on salesperson well-being and performance

This research examines how diversity and inclusion (D&I) influence salespeople’s well-being, mental health and performance. While D&I research has primarily focused on organizational-level outcomes, little is known about its impact on individual salespeople, who often face anxiety, social loneliness, and mental health challenges. Grounded in social identity theory and similarity-attraction theory, we develop and test a model linking D&I to salesperson anxiety, social loneliness, mental health, and performance, with sales experience as a moderator. Using survey data from 274 B2B salespeople, we find that D&I perceptions are negatively associated with salesperson anxiety and social loneliness and positively related to mental health. Moreover, these benefits are more substantial for early-career salespeople, underscoring the importance of D&I in supporting newer entrants into sales. Mental health, in turn, is positively related to sales performance, highlighting the importance of fostering inclusive work environments. The broader contribution of this research lies in advancing our understanding of how D&I shapes individual-level outcomes for salespeople. Implications for scholars and practitioners are also discussed.