What is an Employee Net Promoter Score (eNPS)?

An Employee Net Promoter Score (eNPS) measures how likely your employees are to recommend your company as a place to work. 

When employees recommend their workplace to others, it usually means they're happy, engaged, and believe in the company. When they don't, it often signals deeper problems that need attention.

An eNPS survey asks employees one simple question: "On a scale of 0-10, how likely are you to recommend [Company Name] as a place to work?"

Based on their responses, employees fall into three groups:

• Promoters (score 9-10): These employees love their workplace and actively promote it.

• Passives (score 7-8): These employees are satisfied but not enthusiastic.

• Detractors (score 0-6): These employees are unhappy and might speak negatively about their workplace.

Why is eNPS important for organizations?

An Employee Net Promoter Score matters because happy employees create successful companies. When your employees become advocates for your workplace, you naturally attract better talent and keep your best people longer.

Here's why tracking eNPS is crucial:

• It measures employee satisfaction: eNPS helps you understand how happy and loyal your employees are. A quick survey asks them how likely they are to recommend working at your company to others.

• It predicts company performance: A high eNPS suggests happy employees, which helps attract and retain top talent. This boosts your company's performance and reputation, making it a magnet for even more skilled individuals.

• It drives improvements: eNPS offers valuable insights. If you notice a drop in your score, you can quickly dive into finding out why and make necessary changes before small issues turn into big problems.

• It saves costs: High employee turnover can be expensive, but a strong eNPS score often correlates with lower turnover rates. This can lead to significant cost savings as you spend less on hiring and training new staff.

• It strengthens your employer brand: When employees share positive experiences about your company, it enhances your reputation as a great place to work, making it easier to attract and retain top talent.

Pro tip: Better hiring leads to a higher eNPS. Companies using skills-based hiring platforms like TestGorilla often see higher eNPS scores from the start. When you hire based on skills and culture add rather than just resumes, you bring in people who are more likely to succeed and stay.

How to calculate Employee Net Promoter Score (eNPS)

The math behind eNPS is straightforward. First, group your employees' responses into three categories – Promoters, Passives, and Detractors – based on their scores from 0-10.

To get your eNPS, subtract the percentage of Detractors from the percentage of Promoters. 

eNPS = % of Promoters - % of Detractors

Don't count the Passives in this calculation, though they still provide important feedback. They act as a neutral zone that helps prevent score inflation. A company with many Passives might need to focus on turning satisfied employees into enthusiastic advocates.

Example: Let's say you survey 100 employees and get these responses:

• 45 people give scores of 9 or 10 (Promoters)

• 30 people give scores of 7 or 8 (Passives)

• 25 people give scores of 0 to 6 (Detractors)

Here's how to calculate your score:

1. Turn Promoter scores into a percentage: 45% Promoters

2. Turn Detractors into a percentage: 25% Detractors

3. Subtract: 45% - 25% = 20

Your eNPS is 20.

Note: eNPS is not a percentage because it represents the net difference between Promoters and Detractors, ranging from -100 to +100, rather than a share of a total. It highlights overall sentiment, not absolute values.

What is a good Employee Net Promoter Score?

What counts as a good eNPS can vary widely depending on the industry, company culture, and geographic location. eNPS scores range from -100 to +100, not zero to 100. A score of -100 means all respondents are Detractors, while +100 means all are Promoters.

Generally, any positive score is considered acceptable, while scores above 10 are good, and scores of 50 or higher are excellent.

However, here are some general guidelines to help you interpret your eNPS:

• Scores above zero: An eNPS above zero is typically considered acceptable. It shows that your workplace has more supporters than critics.

• Scores above 30: A score above 30 is considered good and suggests a strong level of employee satisfaction and loyalty. It indicates a healthy company culture where employees are happy and engaged.

• Scores above 50: An eNPS of 50 or higher is excellent. It reflects an exceptional work environment where employees feel highly valued and will likely recommend the company to others.

• Scores of zero: This suggests a balanced but polarized workforce, where Promoters and Detractors cancel each other out. While not negative, it indicates room for improvement.

It's also important to consider the context when evaluating your eNPS. For example, if your industry has low average scores due to high stress or transient work, a lower eNPS might still be competitive. Conversely, in industries known for high employee satisfaction, the benchmarks for a "good" score might be much higher.

Common challenges and solutions when measuring eNPS

Let's look at some common challenges when measuring eNPS and how you can tackle them.

How to use eNPS to improve employee engagement: 7 strategies

The true value of eNPS lies not in the score itself but in how you use it to drive improvements. Here's how.

1. Check in often: Don’t just ask once a year how everyone’s doing. Try getting feedback every few months with quick eNPS surveys and follow-up questions. This lets you catch any issues before they become big problems and shows your team you’re really listening.

2. Dig deep into the feedback: When you look at the survey results, don’t just glance at the scores. Read the comments carefully. What are people happy about? What’s bugging them? Finding patterns in these details can help you figure out what to fix first.

3. Keep everyone in the loop: Be open about what the surveys say. Share the good, the bad, and plans for improvement. People respect honesty, and being part of the conversation can make the whole team feel more connected.

4. Make a clear plan: Once you know what needs work, lay out a plan that’s easy to follow. Maybe there’s a particular area that’s always getting low marks – set some goals for how to improve it, decide how you’ll measure progress, and get going.

5. Get the bosses involved: It’s not just an HR thing – having the higher-ups actively involved can really motivate everyone. When leaders show they care about how everyone feels at work, it sets the tone for the whole company.

6. Measure and adjust: Regularly review how changes made based on eNPS feedback affect the scores and broader metrics, like overall employee satisfaction and turnover rates. Adjust your strategies based on trends over time to keep improving.

7. Start measuring early: Many companies now include behavioral and culture add tests during hiring using platforms like TestGorilla. This helps ensure new hires align with your values from day one, contributing to higher eNPS scores later.

FAQs

What's the difference between eNPS and traditional employee surveys?

eNPS is quicker. It usually involves just one question about loyalty, making it easy to fill out and track. Traditional surveys cover more topics but can be lengthy and complex.

What's the difference between eNPS and customer NPS?

eNPS measures employees' willingness to recommend their workplace, showing job satisfaction. Customer NPS gauges customers' likelihood to recommend a company's products, reflecting satisfaction with the brand and customer loyalty.