Employee Net Promoter Score (eNPS) is a simple metric that measures employee loyalty and advocacy by asking a single question: "On a scale of 0 to 10, how likely are you to recommend this company as a place to work?"
Based on their response, employees fall into three categories. Promoters (scores of 9 or 10) are enthusiastic advocates who would actively recommend your workplace. Passives (scores of 7 or 8) are satisfied but not enthusiastic and would neither strongly recommend nor discourage others. Detractors (scores of 0 to 6) are unlikely to recommend the workplace and may actively discourage others from joining.
How to Calculate eNPS
The calculation is straightforward. Subtract the percentage of detractors from the percentage of promoters. Passives are not included in the calculation.
For example, if you survey 50 employees and receive these responses: 20 promoters, 15 passives, and 15 detractors, you would calculate as follows. Promoters represent 40% of respondents (20/50). Detractors represent 30% (15/50). Your eNPS equals 40 minus 30, which is +10.
The resulting score ranges from -100 (all detractors) to +100 (all promoters). Unlike customer NPS, which often skews positive, employee scores tend to be lower because employees have more nuanced, ongoing relationships with organizations than customers have with products.
What the Scores Mean
eNPS scores between 10 and 30 are considered "good," while those between 50 and 70 are considered excellent. An above 80 eNPS score is likely in the top percentages in almost any industry. Any positive score indicates more promoters than detractors, which is fundamentally healthy.
According to research by Hive, the average eNPS for the first quarter of 2024, across all sectors, was 7. Research by Perceptyx indicates that the overall eNPS benchmark is 12, while other reports indicate the average eNPS is 14 across all organizations gathering staff data that measure eNPS.
A score between 0 and 10 suggests room for improvement but not a crisis. Negative scores indicate more detractors than promoters and warrant attention. Deeply negative scores (below -20) suggest serious organizational issues that are actively damaging employee experience.
Why eNPS Matters for Small Businesses
For managers without dedicated HR resources, eNPS offers an accessible entry point to measuring employee satisfaction. The single-question format requires minimal administration. The scoring is intuitive. And tracking changes over time reveals whether conditions are improving or declining.
eNPS complements other feedback methods rather than replacing them. While the score tells you where you stand, it does not explain why. Following up with additional questions or conversations surfaces the drivers behind the score.
The simplicity also increases participation. Employees are more likely to complete a one-question survey than a lengthy questionnaire. Higher participation rates produce more representative data.
Implementing eNPS in Your Organization
Choose Your Frequency: Quarterly measurement works well for most organizations, providing enough data points to track trends without survey fatigue. Annual measurement captures snapshots but misses developments between surveys. Monthly measurement risks exhausting employees and generating less thoughtful responses.
Ensure Anonymity: Honest feedback requires genuine anonymity, especially in small teams where employees might fear identification. Use survey tools that prevent managers from connecting responses to individuals.
Add a Follow-Up Question: While the single eNPS question provides your score, adding one open-ended question ("What is the primary reason for your score?") provides context that makes the number actionable.
Communicate Results: Share scores with your team along with any planned actions based on the feedback. Employees who see their input leading to change are more likely to continue participating honestly.
Track Over Time: A single score provides a snapshot, but the trend tells a more complete story. Is your score improving, declining, or stable? How did it change after implementing new policies or during challenging periods?
Limitations of eNPS
Like any single metric, eNPS has constraints that managers should understand.
It Lacks Diagnostic Power: The score tells you that employees would or would not recommend the workplace, but not why. Without additional questions or conversations, you cannot identify which factors are driving the score.
It Ignores Passives: Employees scoring 7 or 8 are excluded from the calculation, even though they represent a significant group whose experience matters and who could potentially become promoters.
Cultural Variation: Different cultures use rating scales differently. In some cultures, a 7 represents strong approval; in others, it signals indifference. This affects cross-cultural comparisons.
Single Moment in Time: Employee sentiment fluctuates. A survey administered after a difficult week or during a successful period captures that moment rather than underlying conditions.
Gaming Risk: If employees believe scores will be used punitively or if they feel pressured toward certain responses, the data becomes unreliable.
Making eNPS Actionable
The value of eNPS depends on what you do with the information.
When scores decline, investigate. Talk to employees, review recent changes, and look for patterns. Did a policy change upset people? Did turnover disrupt team dynamics? Is a new manager struggling?
When feedback themes emerge, address them visibly. If multiple detractors cite the same concern, tackling that concern demonstrates responsiveness.
Celebrate improvements genuinely. If your score rises, acknowledge the team effort that contributed to the improvement. This reinforces that the survey matters and that feedback leads to positive change.
Use scores as conversation starters, not verdicts. eNPS provides a temperature check, but the real insight comes from understanding the stories behind the numbers.
