How the Numbers in the GAIS Report Are Calculated

GAIS is built on a robust calculation model. Get an insight into how the numbers in the GAIS report are calculated.

The model for measuring job satisfaction, which the GAIS job satisfaction survey is based on, is shown below. It expresses the relationship between a dependent variable (job satisfaction) and a number of independent variables (the seven factors). Or more simply: It shows how seven factors influence an overarching factor, namely job satisfaction.

Scoring on a Scale from 0-10

When participants complete the GAIS survey, they must choose a value for each question on a scale from 0-10, where 0 corresponds to "not at all" and 10 to "to a very high degree."

Scale-based responses are widely used to measure attitudes and opinions that cannot simply be answered with a "yes" or "no." Compared to binary questions, which only offer two response options (yes/no), scale questions provide more detailed feedback on how employees feel.

Other systems use a five- or seven-point scale, but we have chosen an 11-point scale, as this is common in happiness research, which GAIS methodologically relies upon. The 11-point scale thus provides a more nuanced picture than if, for example, a 5-point scale had been chosen.

What Do the Scores Tell Us?

It is, of course, individual what each participant interprets a score of, for example, 4 or 8 to mean. This can depend on demographics, company culture, personality, etc. However, the Knowledge Center for Good Job Satisfaction bases its research on the following divisions:

Scores from 0-4: Express dissatisfaction
Scores from 5-7: Express moderate satisfaction
Scores from 8-10: Express high or very high satisfaction

A Factor's Score Is a Calculated Average

A factor's score expresses how satisfied the respondent is with the factor overall. The factor's score is an average of the scores on the individual questions that make up the factor.

For example: If the respondent John scored 7, 8, and 5 respectively on the three balance questions in the survey, his total balance score would be 6.66 points. In the report, Lars's total balance score will be 67, as for didactic reasons, it is multiplied by a factor of 10 and rounded to the nearest whole number.

In a company survey, a factor's total score consists of the average of the respondents' answers within the company or in the segments that have been created.

Job Satisfaction Is NOT an Average of the Factors' Scores

The overall job satisfaction score is not an average of the scores for the seven factors. The job satisfaction score is calculated as an average of the scores on five questions asked directly about overall job satisfaction. In other words, overall job satisfaction is captured in a separate set of questions.

So, you could imagine a scenario where the total job satisfaction is higher than the average of the scores for the seven factors. This would mean there are elements outside of the seven factors that significantly boost the respondent's overall score.

The opposite can, of course, also occur – that total job satisfaction is lower than the average of the seven factors. In this case, there are elements outside of the seven factors that significantly pull down the overall score.

See the GAIS Questionnaire here.

Specifically for Factor Survey

If you conduct a factor survey, the model looks like this. The factor consists of a number of underlying dimensions. The calculations in a factor survey are carried out in precisely the same way as in a job satisfaction survey, as described in this article.

Importance of the Factors

In the GAIS survey, respondents are asked to prioritize the importance of the seven factors. All factors must be ranked according to how important they are perceived to be for the respondent's well-being. In the GAIS report's Focus Card, this prioritization is compared with the respondent's scores on the seven factors – creating a visual representation of where there's the greatest potential for improvement.

The Focus Card is shown at an individual level in the personal report and at the company or segment level in the overall report.