The Net Promoter Score (NPS) has been tremendously successful in customer research across B2B markets, because it is simple and actionable. Its employee variant – the Employee Net Promoter Score (eNPS) is less known, but just as powerful.
Much has been written on the benefits of employee engagement, with its influence on brand, customer service and the bottom line. eNPS is a strong metric for tracking that engagement. The logic behind it is the same as the NPS – an employee’s engagement with their company is highly correlated with their willingness to recommend it as an employer to people they know.
Engaged promoters are more likely to present the company’s brand positively to prospects and clients, and are important across all functions; particularly for employees in client-facing roles. Your company’s innovation and new ideas are also significantly more likely to come from engaged promoters. By contrast, disengaged detractors can sap the energy of a workforce with lower productivity and enthusiasm. They are also less likely to share ideas within the company.
eNPS is only actionable when conducted anonymously, often by a third-party, and should ideally be part of a very short survey, to ensure maximum participation. It is most actionable when data is collected frequently (2-4 times annually), and presented quickly to relevant managers.
Be aware that eNPS scores are usually lower than NPS scores in B2B markets. There are a few reasons for this: Firstly, employees usually have more touch-points and interactions with their company than customers do, and therefore have more exposure to processes than can frustrate them. Often, little things like administrative processes can be major frustrations – these are visible only to employees.
Secondly, in some cases, employees have more personal investment in their evaluation than customers. Even in B2B markets, it can be easier to switch suppliers than your employer, and investing in improving the company is therefore more of a priority to the employee. Companies should tap into that desire, and the eNPS is a good way of tracking such initiatives.