Employee survey reports and proposals often use their own terminology. In this glossary, we at Digital Institute have brought together short, clear definitions of the 25 terms you will meet most often in employee satisfaction and engagement surveys. The definitions are designed to help you read results correctly and compare proposals from different survey providers.
- The terms you will meet most often in employee surveys are employee engagement, employee satisfaction, eNPS, engagement score, response rate, anonymity threshold and benchmark.
- This glossary briefly defines, in alphabetical order, 25 key terms you will need when reading survey reports and talking to survey providers.
25 key terms
Terms are listed in alphabetical order. Where we have a detailed article on a term, you will find a link to it.
Action plan
A plan listing the concrete steps, owners and deadlines for the priority areas chosen based on survey results.
Annual engagement survey
The main survey run once a year for all employees, comprehensively measuring engagement and the dimensions that drive it.
Anonymity threshold
The minimum number of respondents a group must have before its results can be reported. It prevents individuals in small teams from being identified; the most common threshold is 10 people. See anonymity in employee surveys.
Benchmark
A comparison of the organization's results with those of organizations in the same industry or of a similar size. See employee engagement benchmarks.
Breakdown
Splitting results by groups such as unit, location, tenure, age group or white-collar vs. blue-collar. Also called segmentation. See segmentation in employee surveys.
Driver analysis
A statistical analysis showing which dimensions have the greatest impact on engagement. Used to set priorities.
Employee engagement
Employees' emotional commitment to the organization, their wish to stay and their willingness to put in extra effort for its success. See what is an employee engagement survey.
Employee experience
The sum of all the touchpoints an employee has with the organization, from hiring to exit.
Employee motivation
An employee's inner energy and drive to do their work.
Employee satisfaction
How content employees are with factors such as pay, working conditions, their manager and the work environment. Unlike engagement, it does not include a willingness to go the extra mile. See employee satisfaction vs. employee engagement.
eNPS
Employee Net Promoter Score. Based on 0–10 answers to "How likely are you to recommend this organization as a place to work?", it is calculated as the percentage of those who answer 9–10 (promoters) minus the percentage of those who answer 0–6 (detractors). It ranges from -100 to +100. See what is eNPS.
Engagement score
A summary indicator calculated from the answers to the engagement questions. Used to compare results over time and across organizations.
Favorability
The percentage of respondents who answer "Agree" or "Strongly agree" to a statement. One of the most widely used indicators in survey reports.
Focus group
A structured discussion with a small group of employees to explore survey results in more depth.
Heat map
A color-coded table showing results by unit, location or manager. Makes problem areas easy to spot.
Lifecycle surveys
Surveys run at specific moments such as onboarding, the first 90 days and exit. See exit survey questions.
Likert scale
A response format that measures agreement with a statement, usually on a 5-point scale (Strongly disagree – Strongly agree). See what is a Likert scale.
Open-ended question
A question employees answer in their own words rather than choosing from set options. Helps explain the reasons behind the numbers. For examples, see open-ended employee survey questions.
Pulse survey
A short survey with a few questions, run at frequent intervals to track specific topics. See how often to run employee surveys.
Quiet quitting
When employees stay in their jobs but do only the minimum and stop putting in extra effort. See how to detect quiet quitting with an employee survey.
Response rate
The percentage of invited employees who complete the survey. It determines how representative the results are; for comprehensive surveys, 60–80% is considered good. See employee survey response rates.
Sentiment analysis
Classifying open-ended comments as positive, negative or neutral. Today it is mostly done with the help of AI. See AI analysis of open-ended comments.
Social desirability bias
The tendency of employees to give the "expected" answers instead of their real views. It increases when trust in anonymity is low.
Sustainable engagement
An employee's ability to stay engaged over the long term thanks to the resources and well-being conditions the organization provides. See what is sustainable employee engagement.
Turnover intention
The likelihood that an employee is considering leaving the organization in the near future. Usually measured with "intent to stay" questions.
To see how these terms are used in practice and review sample questions, download our free Employee Engagement Survey Guide and Sample Questions.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between employee satisfaction and employee engagement?
Satisfaction measures whether employees are content with current conditions; engagement measures whether they are emotionally committed to the organization and willing to put in extra effort. A satisfied employee is not necessarily engaged.
What is a good eNPS score?
Any score above zero means promoters outnumber detractors. Since scores vary by industry, comparing against a benchmark gives a more accurate picture.
What is a typical anonymity threshold?
The most common practice is 10 people, meaning results are not reported for groups with fewer than 10 respondents. For sensitive topics such as manager evaluations, the threshold can be set even higher.
Are engagement score and eNPS the same thing?
No. eNPS is based on a single question, while an engagement score is calculated from several questions and dimensions, so it gives a more complete picture.
