ASK HR: Am I obligated to hand over my clients’ contacts to my employer?

Q. I am working as a sales person in a company where I am paid by commission. Recently, my boss has been asking for my business contacts list to merge with the company’s list, a factor I find questionable because I risk losing my contacts which then translates to decline in commission. Am I right to question this?

There must be a reason why the first thoughts that come to your mind are of suspicion, rather than trust. And this points not only to the kind of culture that exists in your organisation, but also at your relationship with your boss.  Before you jeopardise your job and in the process your income, talk to your supervisor and seek to understand why such information is required and how this is likely to affect your sales. Explain your fears and ask for reassurance that revealing such data would not be used to reduce your commissions and that you remain the primary contact to your clients.

Also check what your contract provides for in regard to sharing information that may include your business contacts. If this is required, you need to comply. There may be company policies that require you to share your contacts and other sales-related information for good reason, such as business planning processes. If this is the case, you need to comply. It is possible that though not documented, a similar process may have been applied in the past for good reason. It may as well be that this requirement is being applied to your colleagues, and as such, you have not been singled out. The point is be sure not to contravene your work contract or company policy and lose out altogether.

Of most importance however is to be at a place where you can trust your supervisor and indeed your employer with such information without fear of losing your income. As a sales person, your job is not just about pushing sales, but also about the relationship you have built with your clients.

That said, I know for a fact that your employer can gather such details from previous transactions, but instead of doing so, which may seem unprofessional, their approach is to engage custodians of such information. If tables were turned and this were your company, I am sure you would want to ensure you have such contacts in your database. I am also quite sure you would feel less love for an employee who may choose to conceal such information.