In today’s employment landscape, understanding and nurturing employee satisfaction and loyalty is vital to creating a workplace where employees want to show up, work hard, and spend their waking hours. To that end, being able to understand your employee net promoter score is crucial to understanding where your employees feelings with your company lie in order for you to succeed. While the eNPS survey can gather quantitative data, you can also get written text feedback to help further understand employee sentiment.
Whether you’re a seasoned HR professional or a business leader looking to enhance employee engagement, eNPS surveys are the place to start to get an initial benchmark and then continue to measure and track as you continue to invest in your people-initiatives!
3 Key Takeaways
- eNPS surveys are valid options for all companies
- eNPS stats can guide strategic improvements in employee engagement and satisfaction
- regular eNPS surveys are important for regularly monitoring employee morale and loyalty
What is eNPS?
Employee Net Promoter Score (eNPS), is a survey that businesses use to measure their employee’s loyalty to the company and general satisfaction. At its core, eNPS results reveal the employees’ likelihood to recommend the business to friends or family as a good place to work. This simple one-question survey serves as a foundation to engaging with employees to gain more information for changes that may need to be made within the company and also to understand things that are going well. Often times, this survey will also have an open ended question allowing employees to add context to their rating as well – this is where valuable insights can also be extracted as to why the score is what it is.
eNPS Question and Answers
Employees are asked to rate their likelihood of recommending the workplace on a scale of 0 to 10.
Based on their responses, employees are categorized into three distinct groups:
- Promoters (those who respond with a score of 9 or 10) — they are likely to encourage folks they know to apply for roles at your company
- Passives or Neutrals (those who respond with a score of 7 or 8) — they may not sing your praises but also won’t drag you through the mud
- Detractors (those who respond with a score of 6 or below) — they are likely to have negative things to say about your workplace to others
By turning this data into a single numerical value, organizations acquire valuable insights into the overall sentiment of their workforce. Unlike traditional employee satisfaction surveys (aka, employee engagement surveys), which may overwhelm respondents with an array of questions, the eNPS survey simplifies the process, providing a concise measure of employee sentiment. eNPS questions can be included in larger employee engagement surveys though, as some companies want to gather more detailed data all at once.
The eNPS survey is well established because it’s not just simple, it’s also reliable. It’s used by countless businesses and HR departments to gain insights on their employees’ loyalty and trustworthiness in the company. It’s also entirely normal for the value to fluctuate over time – though larger moves of this measure would likely indicate an issue in the business, particularly if a large number of employees are completing the surveys.
The eNPS is an incredibly useful tool in the constantly changing world of managing employees, particularly with different generations in a mixed workforce in your business. Companies are always trying to make workplaces where people want to stay and be involved, and eNPS helps them figure out how to do that better.
How to Calculate eNPS Score
eNPS Score = [% Promoters] – [% Detractors]
The resulting score falls on a scale from -100 to +100, with higher scores indicating a more positive sentiment among employees. Categorizing respondents into promoters, passives, and detractors provides further clarity on employee sentiment and helps to facilitate action plans to be developed.
While quantitative scores offer valuable insights, gathering qualitative feedback through follow-up questions is equally important. These open-ended questions provide context to the numerical scores, shedding light on the underlying reasons behind employees’ ratings.
Whether it’s asking for suggestions for improvement, identifying areas of strength, or addressing specific concerns raised by employees, qualitative feedback helps you understand eNPS scores and guides the development of tailored strategies for enhancing employee satisfaction and loyalty.
Importance of eNPS Surveys
eNPS surveys have become a game-changer in the realm of employee feedback. They provide a consistent and structured platform for employees to voice their opinions about the workplace, whether it’s the company culture, management practices, or even specific aspects of their job.
Unlike traditional surveys that can feel overwhelming and take up a lot of time for employees to complete, eNPS surveys are streamlined and consist of just one key question:
“On a scale of 0 to 10, how likely are you to recommend [this company] as a place to work?”
This simplicity encourages more participation and honest feedback from employees.
One of the biggest perks of eNPS surveys is their ability to shed light on the overall health of an organization. By adding up responses and calculating scores, companies can identify areas of strength and weakness within their culture and management practices.
For instance, if a significant portion of employees are scoring low on the eNPS survey, it could signal underlying issues such as poor communication, lack of recognition, or even poor leadership within certain departments.
Knowing this information, employers can then take action to address these issues and improve employee satisfaction and retention. Moreover, eNPS scores have shown to have predictive value when it comes to business outcomes. Research has found that companies with higher eNPS scores tend to experience lower turnover rates and higher levels of productivity and profitability. This correlation underscores the importance of prioritizing employee satisfaction and engagement as integral components of a company’s success.
By continuously monitoring and improving eNPS scores, organizations can proactively cultivate a positive work environment that not only attracts top talent but also fuels long-term growth and success.
Benchmark Scores
When it comes to eNPS scores, understanding benchmarks is key for companies to gauge their performance effectively. Benchmarks serve as reference points that help organizations interpret their eNPS scores in context.
eNPS Scores:
- Scores above 70 are considered exceptional, showcasing an exceptional workplace culture and strong employee advocacy
- A range of 40 to 70 indicates a great score, a high level of employee satisfaction and loyalty
- Scores below 0 or in the negative range suggest significant dissatisfaction among employees and raise red flags for organizational health
It’s important to note that benchmarks can vary across industries and regions. What may be considered a good eNPS score in one sector may differ in another. For eNPS benchmarks by industry, we’ve got an article here that breaks it down.
For example, technology companies tend to have higher benchmark scores compared to industries like retail or hospitality, where frontline employees may face unique challenges. Utilizing benchmarks effectively involves comparing your organization’s eNPS scores to relevant industry or region. Comparing industry benchmarks provides valuable insights into how your company stacks up against peers and competitors instead of just broad averages as your industry may face different obstacles than others with employees. If your eNPS scores consistently fall behind industry benchmarks, it could indicate areas for improvement in employee satisfaction should be higher up on your To Do list.
On the other hand, higher industry benchmarks may signal strengths that can be leveraged to maintain a competitive edge, such as in recruitment strategies to acquire better talent. By leveraging benchmark scores for performance, companies can identify opportunities for growth and development, ultimately fostering a positive work environment and driving organizational success.
Leverage employee feedback in your HR strategy
Get detailed insights and AI-powered recommendations with eNPS surveys and employee surveys sent through Peoplelytics.
Measuring Your eNPS Score
Measuring your eNPS score involves a series of steps to ensure accuracy and actionable insights.
First and foremost is conducting surveys in a strategic manner. This includes determining the frequency of surveys – whether they’re conducted quarterly, biannually, or annually – to capture ongoing employee sentiment without survey fatigue setting in.
Additionally, it’s important to ensure anonymity in the survey process to encourage honest feedback from employees, fostering a culture of transparency and trust.
The eNPS survey consists of a single key question asking employees how likely they are to recommend the company as a place to work, however, you can opt-in to include an optional open-ended question for additional comments so employees can provide information on why they gave the score they did.
Once you send the survey and receive the results, the eNPS scores are calculated. You can easily calculate the scores by subtracting the percentage of detractors (those who rate 6 or below) from the percentage of promoters (those who rate 9 or 10).
Pros and Cons of eNPS Surveys
Pros
When it comes to evaluating employee sentiment, eNPS surveys have their fair share of advantages and disadvantages.
On the bright side, eNPS is praised for its simplicity and efficiency. With just one question, it can quickly gauge how likely employees are to recommend your workplace, making it easy to administer and comprehend.
This straightforward approach not only saves time but also encourages higher participation rates among employees.
Cons
On the other hand, eNPS surveys also have their drawbacks. One well-known concern is the oversimplification of complex feelings.
While the numerical score provides an organized summary of overall opinions, it may fail to capture the experiences and emotions of employees. Additionally, there’s the risk of non-response bias, where employees who are particularly dissatisfied or disengaged may opt out of participating in the survey, skewing the results and potentially providing an inaccurate summary of employee satisfaction.
Another challenge comes with open text feedback. If your company is large, and you receive a large amount of written feedback it can be a challenge to process it and ensure you capture all the major themes without missing feedback. On the other hand, if you receive very little feedback it can also be problematic. You may be missing critical feedback on important items, and, beyond that, you may have trust or engagement issues if only a small percentage of employees are actually sharing their feedback.
Despite these drawbacks, eNPS surveys can be a valuable tool when used in conjunction with other employee engagement strategies. Ultimately, eNPS surveys are most useful when viewed as part of a broader toolkit for enhancing employee satisfaction and fostering a positive work culture. That’s why it’s important to send the surveys at regular intervals throughout the year (1 – 4 times) so you can gauge what changes are working and what changes are not working.
How to Increase Your eNPS Score
Boosting your eNPS score involves more than just administering surveys; it requires a planned effort to listen to employee feedback and take meaningful action based on the results.
One key aspect is ensuring that employees feel heard and valued by actively soliciting their input and suggestions.
By demonstrating a commitment to addressing their concerns and making improvements based on their feedback, organizations can build trust and improve overall satisfaction, leading to higher eNPS scores.
Continuous engagement is another crucial factor in increasing your eNPS score. It’s not enough to conduct surveys sporadically, organizations must maintain ongoing communication and interaction with employees beyond the survey period.
This can involve regular check-ins, monthly meetings, department get togethers, or even focus groups where employees can voice their opinions and concerns. By fostering an environment of open communication and transparency, organizations can strengthen relationships with employees and foster a sense of belonging, ultimately boosting eNPS scores.
Building a positive culture is by far the most impactful way to increase your eNPS score.
A workplace environment that prioritizes employee well-being, recognizes employee achievements, and promotes work-life balance naturally cultivates higher levels of satisfaction and loyalty.
Organizations can cultivate a positive culture by investing in employee development programs, promoting diversity and inclusion initiatives, and providing opportunities for meaningful work and career advancement.
By creating a supportive and empowering workplace culture, organizations can not only increase their eNPS scores but also attract and retain top talent in the long run.
Read our guide to Post-Survey Activities for more ideas!
How to Make eNPS Surveys Easier for Your Company
Peoplelytics simplifies the process of creating and sending eNPS surveys, making it a breeze for companies to gather valuable insights into employee sentiment.
With its user-friendly interface and intuitive design, Peoplelytics streamlines the survey creation process, allowing users to customize their eNPS surveys to suit their specific needs and preferences. Whether it’s selecting the frequency of surveys or choosing the question format, Peoplelytics offers a range of options to tailor the survey experience to meet the unique requirements of each organization.
One of the standout features of Peoplelytics is its flexibility in survey design. Users can schedule eNPS surveys to be sent out at regular intervals, ensuring consistent feedback from employees over time.
Additionally, Peoplelytics offers all surveys to be sent anonymously, encouraging honest and candid responses from employees without fear of repercussions. This commitment to anonymity fosters a culture of transparency and trust, ultimately leading to more accurate and actionable insights.
Moreover, Peoplelytics provides robust analytics tools to help organizations make sense of their eNPS survey results. From real-time dashboards that visualize survey data to in-depth reports that highlight key trends and patterns, Peoplelytics gives users the tools they need to interpret their eNPS scores effectively.
Get tips, industry benchmarks, strategies to boost scores, and more!
Ready to Start Sending eNPS Surveys?
However, it’s important to act on the feedback gained from the surveys. Taking meaningful action to address concerns raised by employees and implement changes that foster a positive and productive work environment is key to gaining the full potential of eNPS surveys. Interested in seeing how Peoplelytics can help you with your eNPS surveys? Schedule a demo today!
