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Why Employee Surveys and eNPS Are Similar to Losing on Game Day

Updated: 6 days ago

Written by Eddie Geller, Founder & CEO of SKOR


Imagine you're coaching a sports team. It’s game day, and your team suffers a tough loss.

Afterward, you gather your players to ask what went wrong. Some are honest, some hold back, and others focus on irrelevant issues. The feedback is inconsistent, emotional, and doesn’t really tell you how to improve.



This is what relying on employee surveys and eNPS to measure company culture often feels like. While they give a snapshot of how employees are feeling in the moment, they miss the deeper issues that led to those results. It’s like focusing on the final score without reviewing the preparation, strategy, and teamwork that led up to it.


1. Surveys: A Post-Game Interview That Misses the Bigger Picture

Post-game interviews often result in emotional, superficial responses. Similarly, employee surveys offer subjective insights that capture temporary feelings rather than revealing deeper issues. A Gallup study shows that 85% of global employees are disengaged at work, a statistic that’s remained consistently high over the years despite widespread use of traditional surveys (Gallup.com & Intelligent Management). These tools often highlight symptoms without addressing the root causes.


2. The Perception of Confidentiality Affects Honesty

Just like players may hold back if they think their coach is listening, employees are often hesitant to be fully honest in surveys. A report from Forbes notes that many employees feel surveys aren’t genuinely anonymous, which discourages honest feedback (Intelligent Management). This results in skewed data that doesn’t represent the true state of engagement or culture, making it difficult for leaders to act on the feedback.


3. Focusing on Emotional Comments Instead of Data

After a tough loss, players might complain about irrelevant factors—weather, uniforms, or field conditions. Employee surveys can encourage similar emotional venting, which distracts leadership from addressing deeper issues. A 2022 study from HR Cloud found that focusing too much on these complaints can detract from actionable insights (HRX).


4. Treating the Symptoms Instead of the Cause

Relying on surveys and eNPS is like focusing on the final score without reviewing the game tape. You can see the outcome but not what led to it. These tools often lead to solutions that address symptoms—like low morale or disengagement—without digging into the root causes. It's like telling your team to "try harder" without improving the actual strategy or training that could help them win next time.


A Data-Driven, Objective Approach with No Room for Noise

SKOR's approach removes subjectivity entirely. Instead of relying on emotional comments or vague feedback, we focus on data-driven, 100% objective measurements. People leaders are the only ones involved in the process, which ensures that feedback comes from those shaping the culture. This objective approach eliminates distractions and focuses on clear root causes, enabling leadership to make impactful changes.


Focusing on the Inputs: Cohesion, Clarity, and Courage

In sports, winning teams don’t just focus on game-day results; they concentrate on preparation, strategy, and teamwork. The same applies to organizational culture. To truly understand and improve culture, it’s essential to focus on the inputs—the factors that lead to success, not just the outcomes.


There are three key elements that organizations should prioritize when building a strong culture: Cohesion, Clarity, and Courage.


  • Cohesion: Just like a team must understand and trust each other, employees need to be connected to the organization's mission and values. A shared sense of purpose creates alignment and motivates people to work toward common goals.

  • Clarity: Everyone on a team needs to know their role, how they contribute, and how their actions support the overall strategy. When employees understand the company's goals and how they fit into achieving them, it drives focus and productivity.

  • Courage: In sports, the best teams take calculated risks and aren't afraid of making mistakes in practice so they can succeed in the game. Similarly, in organizations, fostering a culture of courage encourages innovation, creativity, and learning from failures.


The Path to Long-Term Success

To build a high-performing team, it’s not enough to focus on the score after the game. True progress comes from working on the right things during practice—refining strategies, strengthening teamwork, and making sure everyone understands their role in achieving success. In an organization, that means moving beyond surface-level feedback and focusing on the inputs that drive long-term culture transformation.


By prioritizing Cohesion, Clarity, and Courage, leaders can ensure that their culture is set up for success—before issues arise. The game-day score, much like employee survey results, should never be the sole focus. Winning teams—and successful organizations—are built through careful preparation and focus on the fundamentals that lead to victory.


Learn more about our approach to measuring (with ROI) and creating a High Performing Culture Try our Complimentary Culture SKOR Snapshot to see how it works!

 

About the Author, Eddie Geller:


Eddie Geller is a visionary entrepreneur and technology leader with deep expertise in corporate culture and data-driven strategy. As the Founder and CEO of SKOR, he is dedicated to helping organizations improve workplace culture through actionable insights, fostering environments that are both profitable and rewarding for employees.


Before SKOR, Eddie co-founded Tinybeans, a popular family app that connects parents with their children's milestones. Under his leadership, Tinybeans went public on the ASX and grew into a beloved platform for millions of users worldwide.


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