The Likert Scale is a measurement methodology that combines psychology and statistics. In practice, it involves conducting questionnaires in which there are five response options for a statement or question.
The alternatives are:
- I totally agree;
- I agree;
- indifferent or neutral;
- I disagree;
- I totally disagree.
This scale is an evolution of questionnaires, especially compared to those whose questions are answered only with “Yes” or “No.” In these cases, the results may not be as satisfactory.
However, surveys that use the Likert Scale provide a more in-depth, qualitative understanding of a particular subject. With the help of the tool, you can determine how much someone agrees with a question and learn from their answers.
It’s worth mentioning that the Likert Scale can be more detailed and involve 7 points. They are:
- I totally agree;
- I partially agree;
- I agree;
- indifferent or neutral;
- I disagree;
- I partially disagree;
- I totally disagree.
Furthermore, it’s possible to create variations of this measurement tool with other response types. Here are some common examples of alternatives for using the Likert Scale:
- great, good, neutral, reasonable and bad;
- always, often, sometimes, rarely and never;
- very satisfied, satisfied, indifferent, dissatisfied and very dissatisfied.
Finally, remember that you can adapt the examples to have 7 points instead of 5. The Likert Scale is a versatile methodology —and using it wisely allows you to gain a variety of valuable insights.
How to use this scale in a corporate environment?
You can use the Likert Scale in a variety of corporate settings. Check out the tool’s main applications for companies!
Organizational climate surveys
Organizational climate surveys are one application of the Likert Scale in the business world. By using it in this type of questionnaire, you can understand how employees feel about different aspects of the work environment.
Among them are:
- relationship with leaders;
- satisfaction with the benefits offered;
- quality of internal communication.
For instance, you may include statements regarding the degree of inclusiveness and acceptance in the workplace in an organizational climate survey. When a large number of responses are “disagree” or “strongly disagree,” action must be taken to rectify the situation.
Analyzing the responses to an organizational climate questionnaire allows you to identify areas for improvement and create strategies to increase employee satisfaction and engagement.
Employee feedback
Another application of the Likert Scale in corporate surveys concerns employee feedback. While it has some connection to the organizational climate, they don’t necessarily have to be linked.
Here are some examples of statements where you can use the Likert Scale in this context:
- “The company offers opportunities for my professional development ”;
- “I am satisfied with the tools I have available to do my work”;
- “I feel valued and recognized for my efforts.”
These and other statements provide a simple and practical way for employees to express their opinions. This makes it easier to conduct analyses and make more informed and efficient decisions.
Customer satisfaction
In addition to the internal environment, you can use the Likert Scale to understand your customers ‘ satisfaction levels . In this case, the goal is to determine whether consumers’ expectations were met.
To do this, you can conduct surveys with statements about the product or service itself, the service received, etc.
How does the Likert Scale help businesses?
As you can see, the Likert Scale can be used in a wide range of corporate settings and helps companies in a variety of industries. For instance, as can be observed above, utilizing it in an organizational environment survey enables you to examine and comprehend how staff members feel about the business.
With a questionnaire like this, you can gain a clearer understanding of employees ‘ experiences, perceptions, and feelings , such as motivation and engagement.
Similarly, using the Likert Scale to understand customer satisfaction gives management the opportunity to implement improvements. Imagine that in a survey like this, 70% of consumers answered “dissatisfied” to a question about customer service .
The results indicate that the company needs to urgently review its customer service processes and make adjustments. After all, more than half of customers responded negatively to this question.
Another illustration relates to the caliber of a product or the pace at which a service is rendered. If a large number of replies are “disagree,” “partially disagree,” or “completely disagree,” steps to alter these consumer perceptions must be taken.
The Likert Scale is a valuable tool for companies. It helps you gain a clearer understanding of employees and customers and implement changes and improvements to drive business success. Therefore, it’s worth using in your surveys.
