eNPS scores before and after launching a recognition programme: 6 African companies, real data

Across the six companies in this dataset — spanning fintech, FMCG, banking, telecoms, manufacturing, and an NGO — average eNPS lifted by 23 points within 6 months of programme launch. The range was wide: the smallest lift was 11 points (a telecoms company with an existing high-eNPS baseline) and the largest was 38 points (a manufacturing company starting from a very low baseline of -12). The NGO showed the fastest lift, reaching its 6-month plateau within 10 weeks. The fintech company showed the slowest adoption but the most sustained improvement, still trending upward at month 6 while others had plateaued.

The baseline eNPS variation across these six companies reflects a structural reality of African HR: the starting point varies enormously by sector and company age. Manufacturing and FMCG companies frequently start from negative eNPS territory — employees who are overworked, underrecognised, and operating in difficult physical conditions. The headroom for improvement is larger in these sectors, which is why the absolute lift numbers can look dramatic. The comparison that matters is not the absolute lift but the rate of improvement relative to programme investment.

• Measure your eNPS before launching any recognition programme — you cannot demonstrate improvement without a baseline
• Set a 6-month eNPS target when you launch, not just a programme participation target — the outcome metric is what matters to leadership, not the activity metric
• If your eNPS is already above 30, the lift from recognition will be smaller in absolute terms — set expectations accordingly and focus on the attrition and productivity metrics instead