A positive and engaging law firm culture is essential for attracting and retaining top legal talent. However, culture can be difficult to measure. Traditional employee engagement surveys often lack clarity, take too long to analyze, and fail to provide actionable insights.
This is where the Employee Net Promoter Score (eNPS) comes in. As a simple yet effective metric, eNPS provides real-time insights into employee satisfaction, engagement, and firm loyalty.
According to Gallup, companies with highly engaged employees experience 21% higher profitability and 59% lower turnover. For law firms—where associate attrition rates are high—understanding employee sentiment through eNPS is a game changer.
What is eNPS?
The Employee Net Promoter Score (eNPS) is an adaptation of the Net Promoter Score (NPS) used to measure client loyalty. Instead of asking clients about their willingness to recommend a service, eNPS asks employees about their willingness to recommend their workplace.
How eNPS Works
Employees answer a single question:
"On a scale from 0-10, how likely are you to recommend working at this law firm to a friend or colleague?"
Their responses classify them into three categories:
- Promoters (9-10): Highly engaged employees who are satisfied with the firm’s culture and willing to advocate for it.
- Passives (7-8): Employees who are neutral—content but not particularly engaged.
- Detractors (0-6): Disengaged employees who may be unhappy and likely to leave.
How to Calculate eNPS
eNPS=% of Promoters−% of Detractors eNPS = % of Promoters - % of Detractors
eNPS=% of Promoters−% of Detractors
A positive eNPS score indicates that a firm has more promoters than detractors, signaling a healthy workplace culture. A negative eNPS score suggests potential morale issues, retention risks, and disengagement.
Why eNPS is Essential for Law Firms
1. Provides a Quick and Clear Measure of Employee Engagement
Unlike long employee satisfaction surveys, eNPS is quick and easy to administer, offering real-time insights into how employees feel about the firm.
2. Helps Identify Retention Risks Early
A low eNPS can signal dissatisfaction before it leads to turnover. Given that law firms lose nearly 20% of associates annually, monitoring eNPS can help firms address concerns proactively.
3. Correlates with Client Satisfaction
Happy employees provide better client service. Research from Harvard Business Review suggests that firms with engaged employees outperform those with disengaged teams by 147% in earnings per share.
4. Supports Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Efforts
An inclusive and supportive law firm culture directly impacts engagement. If certain demographics have lower eNPS scores, it can highlight bias, lack of representation, or inclusivity gaps that need to be addressed.
5. Tracks Cultural Improvements Over Time
By measuring eNPS quarterly or bi-annually, law firms can assess whether cultural initiatives—such as mentorship programs or work-life balance improvements—are actually making an impact.
How to Implement eNPS in a Law Firm
1. Conduct eNPS Surveys Regularly
- Send eNPS surveys at least twice a year to track trends.
- Include optional follow-up questions to gather qualitative feedback.
2. Align Questions with Firm Values
In addition to the standard eNPS question, law firms can ask:
- What is the most important reason for your rating?
- What changes would improve your experience at the firm?
- Do you feel supported in your career development?
3. Address Common Law Firm Challenges
If eNPS scores are low, firms should focus on:
- Work-Life Balance: Offering hybrid work options and reasonable billable hour expectations.
- Leadership & Mentorship: Encouraging transparent communication and strong partner-associate relationships.
- Career Growth: Providing clear promotion pathways and professional development opportunities.
4. Act on eNPS Insights
- Identify trends in department-specific or demographic-specific responses.
- Follow up on negative feedback with focus groups or one-on-one discussions.
- Communicate action plans to employees, showing that their feedback leads to real change.
What is a Good eNPS Score for Law Firms?
eNPS benchmarks vary by industry, but in professional services, the average score falls between 10 and 30.
- Above 50 → Excellent, indicating high engagement.
- Between 10-50 → Strong, but with areas for improvement.
- Below 10 → Signals disengagement, requiring immediate action.
Final Thoughts: Using eNPS to Strengthen Law Firm Culture
A strong law firm culture fosters engagement, loyalty, and high performance. By using eNPS to measure and improve employee satisfaction, firms can build a workplace where attorneys feel valued, supported, and motivated to succeed.
Discover how SRA’s eNPS tools can help drive cultural improvements and retention.
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