Likert scales allow researchers to collect a range of opinions and attitudes in a structured way. These scales let respondents express agreement, disagreement or neutrality in response to statements or questions.
- A Likert scale is a survey scale on which respondents rate how far they agree with a statement or how satisfied they are with a topic.
- The most common versions are 4-, 5-, 7- and 10-point scales.
- The recommended choice for employee surveys is a 5-point scale running from "Strongly disagree" to "Strongly agree".
Named after Rensis Likert, these scales are widely used in disciplines such as psychology, sociology and market research to quantify qualitative data effectively.
What Is a Likert Scale?
To understand the Likert rating scale, you first need to understand what a survey scale is.
A survey scale represents numerical or verbal response options that cover a range of opinions on a topic. This scale is always part of a closed-ended question (a question in which respondents are offered predefined response options).
A Likert scale is a rating scale used to measure survey respondents' opinions, attitudes, motivations and more. It offers a range of response options running from one extreme attitude to the other, and sometimes includes a middle or neutral option. Its most popular use, however, is scales with 4 to 7 options.
So what is a Likert scale question? Instead of asking yes/no questions such as "Are you satisfied working at this company?", respondents rate their attitude on a scale ranging from "not at all satisfied" to "extremely satisfied".
By using Likert scales, researchers and practitioners can effectively quantify and capture the complexity of individual opinions, psychology and attitudes. For example, someone who says "I am satisfied working at this company, but not as much as at my previous company" will probably give a Likert rating such as "somewhat satisfied".
Why Are Likert Scales Important?
Likert scales are very popular because they are one of the most reliable ways to measure opinions, perceptions and behaviors.
These scales are easy to design and can be used across a variety of topics and in quantitative surveys.
Unlike questions that offer only two response options, Likert-type questions give you a much better understanding of whether satisfaction is merely good or excellent.
This method lets you uncover degrees of opinion that can make a real difference in understanding the feedback you receive. It can also help you identify areas where you may want to improve your employee experience.
Using the same Likert scales in surveys repeated over time also lets you track seasonal changes in employee attitudes. With this data, you can see quarterly and annual changes in employee engagement, understand where your employees have been and where they are now, and predict how they may trend in the future.
What Are Likert Scale Questions?
Likert scale surveys can take many different forms. Here are some of the most commonly used question types:
- Likelihood: Measures how likely the respondent is to take a particular action.
- Satisfaction: Used to measure how satisfied your employees are with what your company offers.
- Importance: Measures how important a particular service, product or experience is to an employee.
Likert scales are very flexible, and you can adjust the number of scale points to suit your survey design. The most common are 4-, 5-, 7- and 10-point scales.
4-Point Likert Scale
It has no middle or neutral point. It is used to make respondents state an attitude.
Example:
How satisfied are you working at this company?
- Not at all satisfied
- Dissatisfied
- Satisfied
- Very satisfied
5-Point Likert Scale
It includes a middle or neutral option.
Example:
How easy was the application process for this position?
- Very difficult
- Somewhat difficult
- Neither easy nor difficult
- Somewhat easy
- Very easy
6-Point Likert Scale
It is similar to the 4-point scale but offers more options.
Example:
How important are the training activities offered at this company to you?
- Very unimportant
- Unimportant
- Somewhat unimportant
- Somewhat important
- Important
- Very important
7-Point Likert Scale
It offers more response options to obtain more detailed data.
Example:
How much do you agree that your company helps with your career development?
- Strongly disagree
- Disagree
- Somewhat disagree
- Neither agree nor disagree
- Somewhat agree
- Agree
- Strongly agree
10-Point Likert Scale
It offers 10 options to obtain more precise data.
Example:
Indicate how important it is to you to discuss your career development regularly with your manager.
- 1 = Very unimportant
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5 = Neither important nor unimportant
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10 = Extremely important
Which Scale Should Employee Surveys Use?
In employee satisfaction and engagement surveys, the most common and recommended choice is the 5-point agreement scale running from "Strongly disagree" to "Strongly agree". There are four reasons for this:
- Easy to understand: Five options are easy to tell apart for all employees, whatever their education level or role. This is especially important in surveys that include field and blue-collar employees.
- Offers a neutral option: The "Neither agree nor disagree" option in the middle doesn't force employees who genuinely have no opinion to pick a side; forced answers distort the data.
- Comparable: Most benchmark data is collected with a 5-point scale; using a different scale makes it harder to compare your results with other organizations.
- Comfortable on mobile: Five options fit on a phone screen; 7 or 10 options make mistakes easier on small screens.
Other scales may be preferred in certain situations:
| Scale | When is it used? |
|---|---|
| 4- or 6-point (no neutral option) | For a small number of critical statements where the employee must indicate a direction. Not recommended for the whole survey. |
| 7-point | In academic studies where finer distinctions matter and in some scientific scales (for example, the UWES's own response scale). |
| 0–10 | Only for indicators designed for this scale, such as eNPS. Not recommended for other statements. |
Whichever scale you choose, follow these rules:
- Use the same scale throughout the survey. Switching scales between statements confuses employees and makes it harder to compare categories. The eNPS question is the only common exception to this rule.
- Label every option. On scales where only the endpoints are labeled ("1 = Strongly disagree ... 5 = Strongly agree"), the values in between can be interpreted differently.
- Keep the direction fixed. Options should be listed in the same order for every statement (for example, from negative to positive).
- Keep "No opinion" separate. "Neither agree nor disagree" and "I don't know enough about this" are different things. Offer the latter as a separate option outside the scale and exclude it from calculations.
- Write statements as assertions. "Does your manager give feedback?" invites a yes/no answer; the statement "My manager gives me regular feedback" is suited to measuring the degree of agreement.
- Don't change the scale over the years. If the scale changes, comparisons with previous years lose their validity.
You can find sample statements to be answered with this scale in our articles on employee engagement survey questions and employee satisfaction survey questions, and the 0–10 eNPS scale in our article what is eNPS.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Likert Scales
Advantages:
- Provides more precise data: Likert scales can capture more detailed opinions than binary questions.
- Focuses on a single topic: By grouping similar questions, you can get more accurate results.
- Easy for respondents: They are more user-friendly than open-ended or complex questions.
Disadvantages:
- Doesn't answer "why": Likert scales don't explain why respondents like or dislike something.
- Subjectivity in responses: Respondents may perceive the same statements differently.
- Neutral answers can skew the data: Respondents sometimes use neutral options to avoid expressing an opinion.
When designing your surveys, you can minimize these disadvantages by combining Likert scales with other question types.
Source: https://tr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Likert_%C3%B6l%C3%A7e%C4%9Fi
Frequently asked questions
Should an employee survey use a 5-point or a 7-point Likert scale?
A 5-point scale is recommended for most organizations. It is easy for all employees to understand, comfortable to use on mobile, and most benchmark data is collected with this scale. A 7-point scale is preferred in academic studies where finer distinctions matter.
Should a Likert scale have a neutral option?
In employee surveys, usually yes. A neutral "Neither agree nor disagree" option in the middle means employees who genuinely have no opinion aren't forced to pick a side. 4- or 6-point scales without a neutral option should only be used for a small number of statements where the employee must indicate a direction.
How are Likert scale results reported?
In employee surveys, the most common method is to report the share of favorable responses ("Agree" and "Strongly agree") and show the share of neutral and unfavorable responses alongside it. The average score can also be used, but it hides the distribution of responses.
