Answers to Employee Surveys

Employee Opinion Survey Benchmark Norms

2009 Update Now Available

Is there such a thing as a "normal" workplace? We were going to ask Dilbert cartoon author Scott Adams, but we think we know what he'd say.

Dilbert aside, the hundreds of employee surveys we've done have shown there are average or predictable responses to certain questions or groups of questions. Most companies, for instance, have a hard time getting high ratings for internal communications or for training. Norms can help you understand where your organization ranks. See our recent article on employee opinion norms.

We recently added 2008 data to our norm database of 86 employee survey questionnaire items. The data can be reported as a general business norm or provided for one of 16 industries or categories, including nonprofits. Our database has morale and attitude survey responses from more than 130 organizations, both US domestic and multinational, and some items have almost 100,000 responses. We can also offer norms by the size of organization. Reports include the mean, standard deviation, frequency distribution, and number of respondents on which the norm is based.

Special offer: We charge $100 per norm, but users can save 50% if they share their data with us after completion of their survey. Norms are available whether we perform the survey or not. There is no minimum purchase.You do not need to do your survey through Performance Programs.

Norms Categories and Industries:

• General business: Includes all organizations in the PPI Employee Feedback Database.
• Consumer Goods: Retail, Household Goods, Cosmetics
• Connecticut: Norms for organizations in our home state.
• Finance: Banking, Insurance, Financial Services
• Food/Beverage: Beverages – Alcoholic/Soft, Restaurants, Supermarkets, Canned, Wholesale Items, Meat Products
• Heavy Industry: Chemicals, Machinery, Mining & Metals, Oil & Energy, Steel, Rubber, Print, Utilities
• High Tech: Aerospace/Defense, Equipment, Services, Computer – Electronics, Hardware, Peripherals, Software, Networking, Internet, Semiconductors, Telecommunications
• Light Industry: Building & Construction, Environmental Services, Paper & Forest Products, Electrical, Textiles
• Light Manufacturing
• Medical/Healthcare: Biotechnology, Hospitals, Medical/Dental Supplies, HMO, Instruments, Nursing Homes, Outpatient/Home Care, Products, Pharmaceuticals
• Multinationals: Organizations with global operations
• Nonprofit: Education, Religious, Cause-based Organizations
• Recreation and Entertainment: Leisure & Travel, Hotels, Sports, Gambling & Casinos, Restaurants
• Professional Services: Advertising, Government, Law, Real Estate, Publishing & Information Services, Office, Consulting/Professional, Broadcasting - TV/Radio, Scientific/Technical
• Professional Sports Organizations
• Transportation: Automotive, Airlines, Trucking/Railroads, Maritime, Equipment & Leasing, Services, Shipping/Delivery

Reports by Size of Organization:

• Fewer than 50 employees
• 50-100 employees
• 101-250 employees
• 251-500 employees
• 500-1000 employees
• More than 1000 employees