Employee Net Promoter Score (eNPS)

What is eNPS (Employee Net Promoter Score)?

An Employee Net Promoter Score, or eNPS, is a scoring system that measures employee satisfaction. It is based on the Net Promoter Score system, which gauges customer loyalty.

Like NPS, the eNPS system consists of a question asking employees to rate, on a scale from zero to ten, how likely they are to recommend the organization as a place to work.

The system generates a score first by sorting ratings into three categories:

• Promoters
• Passives (also called "neutrals")
• Detractors

The ratings are tallied, and the percentage of detractors is subtracted from the percentage of promoters. The resulting number represents the organization’s Employee Net Promoter Score, or how employees feel about working for their company. eNPS scores can range from +100 (mostly promoters) to -100 (mostly detractors).

An effective eNPS survey takes steps to ensure employee anonymity so employees can provide honest feedback.

Employee Net Promoter Scores

There are different ranges of scores for eNPS—keep these in mind when reviewing your data.

Promoters (Score: 9–10)

A promoter is an employee who's a highly engaged, satisfied individual, very likely to recommend your organization as a place to work. These individuals contribute positively to the organization's image and growth. Additionally, they are motivated and inspired by the company culture, which empowers them to deliver high-quality, top-tier work.

Organizations with many promoters likely have a positive culture that attracts high-quality talent.

Passives (Score: 7–8)

Passives, also called neutrals, are employees who are satisfied enough to be content but may not be entirely engaged. These individuals are likely to consider offers from outside companies and may not recommend the organization to their network. However, it’s important to note that not all passives speak negatively about the company.

This range of eNPS scores may provide insight into where neutrals can be transformed into promoters. For example, neutrals who are unsatisfied with healthcare benefits or skills development may become promoters if these perks are improved.

Detractors (Score: 6 or Below)

Detractors are unlikely to recommend their organization when answering the eNPS questions, which may indicate employee dissatisfaction—even if that score is a six. Because detractors are dissatisfied at work, they may leave the organization, so leaders need to take immediate action to stop this.

It’s crucial to gather and evaluate detractor feedback to minimize turnover and associated costs. For positive results, employers can assume every employee feels the same and take rapid action to remedy the problem.

What are the benefits of an eNPS Survey?

While many employee satisfaction metrics can feel intangible, eNPS is simple, easy to acquire, and easy to understand. It’s an excellent way to compare a company against its competitors. Organizations can also use the results to understand how their employees feel and what may detract from their employee’s experiences.

Tracking keywords (such as salary, work-life balance, or leadership) that promoters and detractors use can help identify areas for improvement, whether in a specific department or in the organization.

A well-prepared organization will survey employees with eNPS regularly—whether monthly, quarterly, annually, or otherwise—to stay updated and track trends over time. Comparing progress over the years will help companies improve. As eNPS improves, scores can be included in recruiting materials to attract a higher caliber of talent to their workforce.

What is a Net Promoter Score (NPS)?

A Net Promoter Score (NPS) measures how loyal customers are to a company and is a common metric used in customer experience programs. Scores are usually measured with a two-question survey and reported with a number ranging from +100 to -100. The higher the score, the more loyal customers are to your brand and the more likely they are to recommend your products or services to friends and family.

NPS scores are calculated similarly to eNPS scores, with customers segmented into promoters, neutrals, and detractors. Higher scores (9–10) mean customers are highly satisfied with your company, while lower scores (6 or below) represent highly dissatisfied customers who will likely dissuade others from buying your products/services.

NPS vs eNPS: How do they compare?

Both NPS and eNPS are used to measure satisfaction, loyalty, and engagement. While they seem very similar upfront, there are key differences between them, which are broken down below:

Similarities

• Both metrics measure satisfaction rates
• NPS and eNPS use a two-question survey to gather feedback
• Both are easy to understand and simple to measure
• The metrics help surveyors understand where improvements are needed

Differences

• NPS surveys are typically sent to customers, while eNPS is used to measure employee satisfaction rates
• NPS asks customers whether they’d recommend a product to friends and family; eNPS determines whether employees would recommend the company to friends and family as a good place to work
• NPS is typically connected with a specific customer and their data history within the company; eNPS surveys are usually anonymous

Though NPS and eNPS measure satisfaction rates from different groups, the scores are often correlated. Gallup’s employee engagement assessment analyzed the relationship between employee engagement and performance outcomes and found that customer satisfaction increases by 10% in businesses with engaged employees. A company with a high NPS probably also has a high eNPS, while a company with a low NPS might also have a low eNPS.

Net Promoter, NPS, and the NPS-related emoticons are registered U.S. trademarks, and NetPromoter Score and Net Promoter System are service marks, of Bain & Company, Inc., NICE Systems, Inc. and Fred Reichheld.