Team Engagement & Sentiment: The People Behind the Metrics

Throughout this series, we’ve explored the key metrics that help support teams track and improve performance — capacity, backlog, SLAs, CSAT, NPS, and more. But there’s one more critical dimension to consider:

How are your people doing?

In IT Service Management (ITSM), sustainable, high-quality service depends on engaged, supported, and motivated teams. That’s where team sentiment and engagement metrics come in — providing a human lens on performance that’s often overlooked.

Why Team Sentiment Matters in ITSM

IT support is demanding. Constant context switching, high expectations, and managing emotional stress from frustrated users can take a toll.

When engagement dips, it impacts:

• Response times and resolution quality

• Innovation, collaboration, and improvement efforts

• Staff turnover and burnout risk

• Ultimately — customer experience

That’s why tracking team sentiment and engagement isn’t just about being nice. It’s about protecting your service reliability and value delivery.

What You Can Measure

You don’t need to overcomplicate it. Start with a few key indicators:

Pulse surveys

Short, anonymous check-ins that ask:

• “How supported do you feel in your role?”

• “Do you feel your work makes a difference?”

• “What’s one thing that would make your week easier?”

Run these monthly or quarterly to spot shifts in morale.

eNPS (Employee Net Promoter Score)

A twist on traditional NPS, asking:

“How likely are you to recommend this team as a great place to work?”

Track it over time to gauge loyalty and overall sentiment.

Engagement trends

Look at:

• Participation in retros, team improvement sessions

• Feedback quality in standups or post-incident reviews

• Time spent on value-add work vs. fire-fighting

This gives a sense of energy and initiative, not just compliance.

Anecdotal feedback

Create space for open dialogue. One-on-ones, team health checks, or even digital suggestion boxes can surface blockers that metrics miss.

Practical Example: Tapping Into the Mood Behind the Metrics

An IT support team at a large educational institution was meeting all key service targets — SLA compliance, ticket resolution, even strong CSAT. But turnover was creeping up, and innovation had stalled.

They introduced a simple monthly team pulse survey with three questions. After the second round, it became clear: staff felt undervalued, disconnected from decision-making, and overwhelmed by admin.

In response, leadership:

• Reduced low-value reporting tasks

• Created small working groups to shape new service processes

• Made space each month for “learning and innovation” time

Within a quarter, engagement scores rose, energy returned to team discussions, and retention stabilised.

💡 Tips for Meaningful Team Sentiment Tracking

• Keep it light but regular: A few well-crafted questions often say more than a 20-question survey.

• Act on what you learn: Even small improvements — like fixing a process pain point — show your team they’ve been heard.

• Protect psychological safety: Anonymity matters. So does trust.

• Link engagement to performance: Show how happier, more engaged teams drive better service outcomes.

• Celebrate wins: Recognition is a powerful engagement tool.

Final Thought

Behind every resolved ticket, every SLA met, every positive feedback score — there’s a person doing the work.

The best ITSM strategies don’t just measure what’s happening — they care about who it’s happening to.

By listening to your people and fostering a culture of shared value, service excellence becomes sustainable. Because at the heart of ITSM is not just process — it’s people.