We’ve all seen it before: a company flashes a shiny Employee Net Promoter Score (eNPS) on a slide deck, everyone nods, and then… nothing changes.
So we decided to ask the TSOW community a simple question: Is eNPS just a feel-good vanity metric, or can it actually spark real improvement?
The results — and the honesty behind them — might surprise you.
1. First Impressions Matter: How Did You Feel After Giving Feedback?
When we asked for one word to describe the feeling after sharing eNPS feedback, the answers split right down the middle:
✨ Encouraged, Noticed, Insightful
😐 Alright, Not sure, Nothing
⚠️ Uncomfortable, Clueless
What this tells us: Some employees walk away feeling valued. Others? They’re left wondering if their words went into a black hole.
2. What Would Make the Score Jump to a 9 or 10?
The answers were loud and clear:
- 🚀 Growth opportunities – 40%
- 💰 Better pay & hybrid work – 20%
- 💡 More innovative work – 20%
- 🤝 Mutual understanding in tough situations – 20%
3. What Matters More Than the Score Itself?
- Growth opportunities – 66.67%
- Work-life balance – 33.33%
- Manager support & recognition – 0%
Translation? People don’t come to work to “improve a metric.” They come to grow, earn fairly, and live well.
4. Do People Trust Their Feedback Makes an Impact?
- Yes – 55.55%
- Neutral – 22.22%
- No – 22.23%
Over half believe change happens. But a quarter flat-out don’t — and that’s a trust gap worth closing.
5. Does the Company Explain the Story Behind the eNPS?
- Yes – 40%
- No – 60%
If employees don’t understand the why behind the score, it’s just a random number on a slide.
6. Is There Any Follow-Up After the Score?
- Yes – 31.58%
- No – 52.63%
- Only in exit interviews – 15.79%
This one’s a red flag — feedback should be the start of a conversation, not a goodbye gift.
7. How Should eNPS Results Be Shared?
- Both team & org level – 46.67%
- Org level only – 40%
- Team level only – 13.33%
Openness wins. People want to see the big picture and the smaller one that affects their daily work.
So… Vanity Metric or Valuable Tool?
From this survey, here’s the verdict: eNPS can be powerful — but only if it’s used as a launchpad for real action.
To make it count, companies need to:
- Explain the results — the number means nothing without the story.
- Follow up — every. single. time.
- Act on what matters — career growth, fair pay, flexibility.
- Share results openly — at both org and team levels.
Otherwise? It’s just another number to make a slide look pretty.
