What Is a Good eNPS Score Australia? 2026 Benchmark Guide

If you are wondering what is a good eNPS score Australia, the short answer is that anything between +10 and +30 is considered good, with the national median sitting around +13.

Key takeaways

• An eNPS score above 0 is technically positive, but a healthy Australian workplace typically scores between +10 and +30.
• Scores between +30 and +50 are considered great, whilst anything above +50 is excellent and reflects a highly engaged culture.
• The Australian median eNPS of +13 sits slightly below the global median of +17, reflecting local cultural tendencies toward more direct, critical feedback.
• Your eNPS is just a temperature check – the real value lies in the qualitative feedback and the actions you take to improve it.

Employee Net Promoter Score (eNPS) has become the gold standard for measuring employee loyalty and satisfaction. It is a simple, one-question survey that asks your team: "On a scale of zero to 10, how likely are you to recommend this organisation as a place to work?"

But once the survey closes and the data rolls in, HR leaders and executives are often left staring at a number, wondering what it actually means. Is a score of +15 cause for celebration or concern? How do you stack up against other local businesses?

In this guide, we will unpack the 2026 benchmarks for Australian workplaces, explain how to calculate your score, and share actionable strategies to turn your detractors into promoters.

The reality of eNPS in modern Australian workplaces

Before diving into the numbers, it helps to understand the scale. Unlike traditional surveys that average out scores out of 100, eNPS operates on a unique spectrum from -100 to +100.

This scoring method is notoriously tough. Because of the way it is calculated, a single detractor cancels out a promoter, and passive scores are entirely ignored in the positive column. This means that achieving a high score requires a genuinely enthusiastic workforce, not just a satisfied one.

Today's workplace is highly competitive, and retaining top talent is harder than ever. Measuring your eNPS gives you a clear, quantifiable baseline for your culture. However, to know if you are winning the talent war, you need to know what a good eNPS score Australia actually looks like.

What is a good eNPS score Australia? Breaking down the benchmarks

When evaluating your results, context is everything. While any score above zero is technically a win – meaning you have more promoters than detractors – the reality of a modern, high-performing team demands a higher standard.

According to recent industry data, the Australia median eNPS is about +13 in a 2026 benchmark dataset. This puts a typical Australian organisation slightly above neutral, but well below "great" territory.

Here is how the scores break down for Australian businesses:

Below 0: The warning zone

If your score is in the negatives, you have a cultural crisis on your hands. A negative score means you have more active detractors than promoters. This indicates widespread dissatisfaction, high turnover risks, and a potentially toxic work environment that requires immediate intervention.

0 to 10: Acceptable but vulnerable

A score in this range means your culture is surviving, but it is not thriving. You likely have a large chunk of "passives" – employees who are generally satisfied but not loyal enough to stick around if a better offer comes along. You are doing the bare minimum to keep people relatively happy.

10 to 30: Good

This is where most healthy organisations sit. As noted in recent benchmarks, any eNPS above 0 is positive, but 10 to 30 is considered good. If you are in this bracket, you have a solid culture, good leadership, and a team that generally enjoys turning up to work.

30 to 50: Great

Hitting the +30 mark is a significant achievement. An Australian practice guide highlights that above 30 indicates good employee satisfaction, bordering on great. Companies in this bracket usually have strong employee value propositions, excellent communication, and high retention rates.

50 and above: Excellent

Scores in this tier are rare and represent world-class workplace cultures. An Australian HR benchmark article notes that while local organisations typically see scores from -10 to +30, top-performing companies often reach +40 or higher. If you score above 50, your employees are highly engaged brand ambassadors.

How Australian eNPS benchmarks compare globally

It is important to view Australian scores through a local lens. A 2026 global benchmark reports a median eNPS of 17 across all industries, giving a useful reference point for comparing Australia against broader workplace norms.

Why does the Australian median (+13) sit slightly below the global average? It often comes down to cultural differences in feedback. Australians are known for their directness and egalitarian values. The "tall poppy syndrome" and a general reluctance to hand out perfect scores (the 9s and 10s required to create a promoter) mean that Australian teams are often harsher critics than their counterparts in the US or Asia.

Therefore, a score of +20 in Sydney or Melbourne might reflect the exact same level of genuine engagement as a +30 in New York. The key is to benchmark against your local industry peers, rather than obsessing over global numbers.

How to calculate your employee net promoter score

The beauty of eNPS lies in its simplicity. To calculate your score, you first need to categorise your survey responses into three distinct groups based on how they answered the 0–10 question.

1. Promoters (Scores 9–10)

These are your highly engaged champions. They love working at your organisation, they are highly productive, and they actively recruit their peers to join your team. They are the engine room of your company culture.

2. Passives (Scores 7–8)

Passives are satisfied but unenthusiastic. They do their jobs well, but they are not emotionally invested in the company's long-term success. If a recruiter calls them with a slightly better salary offer, they are highly likely to leave. Importantly, passives are ignored in the final eNPS calculation.

3. Detractors (Scores 0–6)

Detractors are actively disengaged. They are unhappy with their role, the leadership, or the culture. Worse, they can spread negativity and damage your employer brand. Even a score of 6 – which feels like a "pass" in a school exam – is considered a detractor in the eNPS methodology.

The eNPS Formula

To find your score, simply subtract the percentage of detractors from the percentage of promoters. The passives are left out of the equation entirely.

eNPS = % of Promoters – % of Detractors

For example, imagine you survey 100 employees. You get 40 Promoters (40%), 40 Passives (40%), and 20 Detractors (20%). Your calculation would be 40 - 20 = +20. You have a solid, healthy score of +20.

Beyond the score: Why eNPS is only the beginning

While tracking your eNPS is a fantastic way to gauge overall sentiment, a number in isolation cannot fix a broken culture. The true value of the survey lies in the follow-up question: "What is the primary reason for the score you just gave?"

This qualitative data is where the magic happens. It tells you exactly why your detractors are frustrated and what your promoters value most. Without this context, you are diagnosing a fever without looking for the underlying infection.

This is where modern HR technology steps in. Platforms like Compono Engage allow you to move beyond an annual static score and implement a continuous listening strategy. By gathering real-time feedback, you can identify trends, track sentiment shifts, and intervene before minor frustrations turn into major turnover events.

Proven strategies to improve your eNPS in 2026

If your score isn't where you want it to be, do not panic. The eNPS is a lagging indicator, meaning it reflects the culmination of past experiences. To move the needle forward, you need to implement proactive cultural strategies.

1. Fix your onboarding process

First impressions matter. We know from extensive research why new hires fail – and it is rarely a lack of technical skill. It is usually a failure of alignment, tools, and early support. If your onboarding process is chaotic, new starters will quickly become detractors. Streamline their first 90 days to build immediate loyalty.

2. Hire for work personality and culture fit

You cannot build a team of promoters if you are hiring people whose natural work preferences clash with your environment. Using behavioural science and psychometric assessments during the hiring phase ensures you bring in talent that naturally aligns with your team dynamics. The Compono Hire platform assesses candidates across organisation fit, skills, and qualifications, ensuring you build high-performing teams from day one.

3. Act on the feedback visibly

The fastest way to destroy your eNPS is to ask for feedback and then do nothing with it. When employees take the time to share their thoughts, they expect to see action. Communicate the survey results transparently – even if they are poor – and outline exactly what leadership is doing to address the core issues.

4. Empower your middle managers

People do not leave bad companies; they leave bad managers. Your middle managers have the most direct impact on the day-to-day experience of your workforce. Provide them with the leadership training, resources, and workforce engagement strategies they need to support their teams effectively.

Key insights

• The eNPS scale runs from -100 to +100, making it a strict and rigorous measure of true employee loyalty.
• Australian benchmarks sit slightly lower than global averages due to cultural tendencies toward direct, critical feedback.
• Passives (scores 7-8) do not impact your final score, but they represent your biggest opportunity for improvement.
• A continuous listening strategy provides the qualitative context needed to actually improve your score over time.

FAQ

What is a bad eNPS score?

Any score below zero is considered a bad eNPS score. A negative score means you have more active detractors than promoters, indicating widespread dissatisfaction and a high risk of employee turnover. If your score falls into the negatives, immediate cultural intervention is required.

How often should we measure our eNPS?

Most modern organisations measure their eNPS quarterly. Surveying once a year does not provide enough real-time data to track the impact of your cultural initiatives, whilst surveying every month can lead to survey fatigue. A quarterly pulse strikes the perfect balance.

Is eNPS the same as customer NPS?

They use the exact same methodology and calculation, but they measure different audiences. Customer NPS (Net Promoter Score) measures customer loyalty to your brand or product, whereas eNPS measures employee loyalty to your organisation as a workplace.

Does company size affect eNPS benchmarks?

Yes, company size can impact scores. Smaller startups and boutique agencies often see higher eNPS scores because they benefit from tight-knit cultures and direct access to leadership. As companies scale into the hundreds or thousands of employees, maintaining a high eNPS becomes more challenging due to complex communication lines and bureaucracy.

Can we use incentives to get a better eNPS score?

You should never incentivise employees to give a positive score, as this entirely corrupts the data and defeats the purpose of the survey. However, you can offer small, neutral incentives (like a coffee voucher or a charity donation) simply for completing the survey, which helps boost overall participation rates.