Finding the right employee survey template for measuring eNPS isn't just about asking the 0-10 question—it's about understanding why employees feel the way they do. eNPS (Employee Net Promoter Score) gets right to the core: “Would you recommend working here?” But what matters even more is digging into the real reasons behind those scores.
This article walks you through great questions for an eNPS survey—far beyond the basics—and shows how AI-powered follow-ups help uncover what truly drives each employee’s sentiment. The best insights are just a question away.
The foundation: your core eNPS question
Every effective eNPS starts with a variation of a single question:
On a scale of 0 to 10, how likely are you to recommend working at this company to a friend or colleague?
Based on responses, people fall into three groups:
Promoters (9-10): Highly satisfied, vocal advocates for the organization.
Passives (7-8): Satisfied but uninspired; they aren't likely to spread the word (positively or negatively).
Detractors (0-6): Dissatisfied or disengaged employees who may warn others against joining.
A healthy eNPS means more promoters—and fewer detractors—in your workforce. According to Gallup, organizations with highly engaged employees see a 21% increase in profitability—showing a direct link between understanding employee sentiment and company success. [1]
Great questions for promoters (9-10 scores)
Promoters are your success stories. But don’t stop at the high score—ask what’s behind their enthusiasm so you can protect, celebrate, and scale it.
What specific aspects of your job or our culture make you excited to come to work?
Is there a moment or project that made you especially proud to work here?
How would you describe our workplace to a friend considering joining?
What do you appreciate most about your team or manager?
Here’s where AI-powered probing really shines—AI can dynamically follow up on anything interesting they mention. For example, if someone talks about leadership, the AI might explore which leadership attributes stand out most, surfacing clear replicable patterns. That’s richer than any form-based survey could manage.
Understanding passives (7-8 scores)
Passives are content, but they’re not raving fans. The opportunity here: learn what would nudge them into promoter territory.
What’s one thing we could do to turn your experience from “good enough” to “truly great”?
Are there any frustrations or barriers that keep you from being more enthusiastic?
Is there anything missing from your day-to-day work that would help you feel more engaged?
What change would make you more likely to recommend the company to friends?
AI-driven conversational surveys can explore their answers in a friendly, non-intrusive way—making it easy to get past surface-level “fine” responses. Passives make up a sizable chunk of most organizations, so even small nudges can mean a major shift in your overall employee experience.
Critical insights from detractors (0-6 scores)
Detractors may be at risk of leaving or spreading negative buzz. Their feedback offers a real chance to address issues before they cost you talent, morale, or reputation.
What specific challenges or frustrations have led you to your current feelings?
Can you describe a time when you felt unsupported, unheard, or unappreciated?
What changes would need to happen for you to feel more positive about working here?
If you could fix one thing about your role or environment, what would it be?
Tone matters a lot—AI-driven follow-ups keep things empathetic, never confrontational. The Harvard Business Review found that organizations acting on detractor feedback see a 25% decrease in turnover, underscoring the importance of respectful, direct insight gathering. [2]
Making sense of employee feedback at scale
Asking the right questions is just half the battle. When you’re collecting hundreds or thousands of open-ended responses, surfacing actionable patterns gets overwhelming—fast.
AI survey response analysis transforms mountains of feedback into crystal-clear insights. By clustering responses by promoter, passive, and detractor groups, you instantly see trends like recurring themes in each cohort, or even specific sentiments within departments.
With Specific’s AI feedback chat, you can interact directly with your results. Example prompts I use for instant analysis:
What are the top 3 reasons our promoters love working here?
What common themes appear among detractors in the engineering department?
Are there any suggestions from passives that echo across multiple teams?
According to Deloitte, organizations leveraging advanced analytics in HR see 30% faster improvement in engagement scores than those relying on manual review. [3]
Complete eNPS survey template with smart follow-ups
Here’s how a smart, conversational eNPS survey template flows, making each respondent’s experience tailored and insightful:
Main eNPS question (0-10): On a scale of 0–10, how likely are you to recommend working here?
Contextual follow-up (auto-branching):
Promoter (9-10): Uncover what’s amazing—ask for stories, values, and advice to others.
Passive (7-8): Find what’s “just OK”—probe for missing elements or mild frustrations.
Detractor (0-6): Surface pain points—gently explore challenges and suggestions for real change.
Optional demographic/context questions: Department, tenure, or team (useful for spotting subgroup trends)
Score Range | Follow-up Focus |
|---|---|
9–10 (Promoter) | Success stories, cultural highlights, advocacy drivers |
7–8 (Passive) | What's missing, minor pain points, easy wins |
0–6 (Detractor) | Critical issues, specific frustrations, retention risks |
All these branching and follow-ups can be easily customized or extended with an AI survey editor, letting you update questions just by chatting. Conversational, dynamic surveys like this don’t just collect data—they build trust and uncover the root causes that matter most.
Best practices for employee NPS surveys
Frequency: Run eNPS surveys regularly (quarterly is a sweet spot) to track real progress.
Anonymity: Assure absolute confidentiality—authentic feedback thrives on trust.
Act on feedback: Don’t just listen. Prove results by sharing and implementing real changes.
Transparent communication: Let employees know what changed as a direct result of their input.
I’ve found that adding tailored follow-ups makes every survey a conversation, not just a data grab—and that’s the heart of a truly effective conversational survey. People feel heard, not just counted.
Want to launch a best-practice eNPS survey that uncovers not just scores, but stories and root causes? Create your own survey in minutes with AI-driven branching and follow-ups.