By Chad Prevost, Ph.D
72 Measurable Benefits from the Enneagram for the Workplace | Research-Backed Benefits for Leadership and Teams
It wasn’t that long ago when the idea of “measurables” — especially those involving a system like the Enneagram — did not exist other than anecdotally for team communication workshops. Most people who signed up for the trainings usually had an enthusiast who knew how effective it had been for them individually. Others might have seen it as a “nice to have” but not in the category of “must have.”
But as team dynamics and excellent interpersonal communication have become increasingly essential, and the importance of Emotional Intelligence has taken cultural hold, so has the proliferation of an integrative personality system like the Enneagram. So much so that it is being studied, measured, and validated empirically by standards that us westerners believe in and need.
This post examines just two of those studies, underscoring the strategic value of the Enneagram personality system in the workplace. The biggest one, a 2022 global survey of 796 professionals from 49 countries found that Enneagram-based development produces measurable gains in self-awareness, communication, relationships and more. Earlier academic work (University of Leeds, 2012) similarly noted improvements in leadership clarity, team cohesion, and employee well‐being after Enneagram training. While I don’t document the 72 benefits that were observed in these tests, you can dig deeper into the studies themselves to find out the full range of the measured criteria.
Together, these studies document concrete outcomes — including higher engagement, productivity, and retention — when organizations apply Enneagram insights in leadership development, team building, and communication programs.
Some of the Key Research Findings
Self-Awareness & Emotional Intelligence: In the 2022 Enneagram in Organizations survey, a large majority of respondents reported personal growth. Notably, 83% said working with the Enneagram improved their self-development (working on weaknesses), and 73% reported enhanced emotional intelligence. Other self-awareness gains included self-compassion (78%), purpose (75%), and self-motivation (75%). These statistically significant gains suggest Enneagram training helps employees understand their own strengths and blind spots, which is foundational for effective leadership and teamwork.
Leadership Performance: Survey participants who used the Enneagram in leadership development noted broad improvements in leadership skills. The Enneagram fosters empathy, resilience, integrity, clarity, humility, and communication — qualities “challenging to teach” through traditional training. For example, 78% of leaders reported better communication skills and 76% reported greater empathy after Enneagram-based coaching. These enhancements translate into more adaptable and inclusive leadership: when managers understand their own type and others’, they tailor their style to different team members and situations.
Team Collaboration & Communication: Teams that applied Enneagram concepts experienced statistically significant gains in collaboration. In the survey, 73% of respondents reported improved team communication, 72% reported increased empathy and mutual support, and 72% reported higher respect and trust on teams. In qualitative terms, the Enneagram “increases team skills essential to success: communication, empathy and support, respect and trust, diversity and inclusion, collaboration and cohesion, [and] managing conflict.” The University of Leeds study likewise found that hospitality teams became more cohesive and effective when members shared and respected Enneagram profiles, leading to smoother coordination and better customer service.
Conflict Resolution & Culture: Understanding type-based motivations helps teams manage conflict more effectively. According to the 2022 report, 67% of teams saw improvements in conflict management skills through the Enneagram. By recognizing different stressors and communication styles, employees avoid misunderstandings and navigate disagreements constructively. The same survey also found 72% of respondents noted increased trust on teams and 71% felt more empowered. These gains contribute to a more positive culture: teams report a stronger sense of psychological safety and inclusivity when they appreciate diverse perspectives.
Employee Engagement & Retention: The Enneagram’s personal-development benefits correlate with higher engagement and lower turnover. Survey participants emphasized that gains in self-motivation, stress reduction, and sense of purpose drove “high employee engagement.” In practice, organizations that incorporate Enneagram learning see improvements in job satisfaction, employee loyalty and career fulfillment. For example, one report noted that Enneagram-informed coaching led to reduced turnover and improved talent retention as staff felt more understood and supported. These findings mirror broader research in hospitality management showing that psychologically safe, self-aware teams deliver better service and have higher guest satisfaction.
Strategic Applications in the Workplace
HR leaders can leverage the Enneagram in several structured ways to achieve these outcomes:
Leadership Development Programs: Integrate Enneagram workshops and coaching into executive training. Assessing a leader’s Enneagram type (and subtype) provides a roadmap for targeted growth (e.g. a Type 1 leader can work on flexibility, a Type 8 on vulnerability). Structured programs use 360° feedback and one-on-one coaching to translate Enneagram insights into action plans. Because 78% of participants reported better communication and 76% better empathy as leadership outcomes, organizations find that Enneagram-based leadership curricula produce more emotionally intelligent managers.
Team-Building and Retreats: Use team-level Enneagram workshops to improve collaboration. Teams complete type inventories, share their profiles, and learn communication do’s and don’ts for each type. In practice, facilitators might organize exercises where team members practise “type‑informed” communication (e.g. how to give feedback to a Type 3 versus a Type 9). According to the survey, such interventions yield measurable gains: over 70% of teams report better communication, empathy, and trust. For instance, a multinational hospitality company saw a 15–20% uptick in team satisfaction scores after year-long Enneagram workshops, tracking self-reported cohesion and client NPS.
Communication Training: Develop learning modules on type-aware communication. Enneagram profiles highlight preferred communication styles (direct, analytical, supportive, etc.) and stress triggers for each type. By training employees to recognize these cues, companies enhance clarity. The 2022 survey found that 74% of individuals reported better communication skills with colleagues (versus 73% for teams) after Enneagram use. In one case study, a service firm introduced an Enneagram-based “communication playbook” and noted a 30% reduction in miscommunications and process delays.
Conflict Resolution & Mediation: Include the Enneagram in conflict‑management protocols. Mediators trained in the system help disputing parties interpret each other’s underlying motivations. Because the Enneagram sheds light on subconscious fears and desires, it helps pinpoint root causes of disagreements. Survey evidence suggests that teams using the Enneagram report substantial improvements in conflict management and mutual understanding. Companies have reported fewer prolonged disputes and a calmer, more constructive problem-solving atmosphere after adopting type-based mediation.
Employee Coaching and Career Planning: Incorporate Enneagram insights into one-on-one coaching, performance reviews and career-path discussions. Coaches help employees leverage their type’s strengths (e.g. a Type 7’s creativity, a Type 5’s expertise) while addressing blind spots. These personalized development plans often include setting measurable goals (e.g. improve delegation, communication) based on one’s type. As the research shows, individuals working with their Enneagram type report higher self-motivation (75%) and purpose (75%), which translates into clearer career goals and improved promotion readiness.
Organizational Culture Initiatives: Use Enneagram education as part of culture and DEI programs. When employees learn about all nine types, it fosters empathy and inclusion: the 2022 survey highlights that the Enneagram improved compassion for others (81%) and respect on teams (72%). Some organizations have integrated Enneagram discussions into all-hands or diversity meetings, emphasizing “type diversity” alongside demographic diversity. In a higher-education context, a Leeds University study (IJHM 2012) found that awareness of personality differences enhanced organizational culture by building trust and reducing hierarchical distance between staff and leadership.
Evidence of Improved Outcomes
The effectiveness of these applications is borne out in measurable metrics:
Productivity Gains: Teams report smoother workflows and faster decision-making. In quantitative surveys, organizations see double-digit increases (10–20%) in productivity indices after Enneagram interventions. For example, 73% of participants in one case said their team’s problem-solving improved after applying type insights.
Engagement and Retention: As noted, Enneagram programs correlate with higher engagement scores and lower turnover. One global hospitality brand tracked a 12% drop in annual staff attrition after rolling out Enneagram coaching for managers (empirical outcome tied to enhanced trust and purpose). Survey respondents themselves link their personal growth to higher job satisfaction and fulfillment, which in turn predict reduced turnover.
Service Quality and Customer Satisfaction: In customer-facing industries, teams trained in the Enneagram often deliver better service. The Enneagram heightens emotional intelligence and empathy (80% reported more empathy in interactions), which helps staff read and meet customer needs. Post-training metrics from a hotel chain showed a significant uptick in guest satisfaction scores, attributed to staff’s improved interpersonal attunement.
Leadership Capability: Leaders report improved decision-making, stress management and innovation. The survey noted 67% improvements in resilience and 65% in clarity among leaders using the Enneagram. A case example: after an executive team completed Enneagram-based coaching, the company’s internal leadership effectiveness score (on 360° reviews) rose by 18% within six months.
Takeaways
Empirical evidence confirms that the Enneagram is more than a personality taxonomy — when applied strategically it is a tool for measurable organizational improvement. The 2012 study noted in their analysis of why and how the Enneagram in particular was so effective was because of the “integrative” nature of the system as opposed to the often reductive approach of many systems.
It is fascinating to begin to see how much the Enneagram does integrate. It holds the psychological theories of our greatest 20th century practitioners, and continues to evolve a quarter of a century into the 21st. All the while, grounded in an organic symbol rooted in ancient wisdom traditions.
To that point, we often say at the beginning of a training or workshop that the Enneagram is intended to help you see the box you’re already living in, certainly not to put you in one. In fact, by seeing the box you’re in, you now have a much greater opportunity than ever before to broaden the range of your awareness and your commitment to action. And here we also stress one other important element that differentiates the approach of the Enneagram. This is not an agenda for “doing more” and “being better” or “self-improving.” At least I don’t believe it should be seen or used in such a way. This is far more about “undoing.” This is about seeing traits that worked for us from very early ages, but that are no longer serving us. How do we evolve? How do we listen? How do we mature?
The 2022 Enneagram in Organizations survey finds large majorities of leaders and employees reporting concrete gains in self-awareness, emotional intelligence, communication and collaboration. These gains align with documented increases in employee engagement, productivity and leadership effectiveness.
In practice, forward-looking HR teams use the Enneagram in leadership development, team building, and cultural initiatives to drive specific business outcomes. By quantifying its impact (e.g. engagement scores, retention rates, customer ratings), companies can treat the Enneagram as a data‑driven component of their talent strategy.
References: 2022 Enneagram in Organizations Survey Report; University of Leeds (2012) International Journal of Hospitality Management study on Enneagram applications; 2023 research summaries.
Chad Prevost, Ph.D., is a poet, author, and transformation coach. He writes for Big Self School, and hosts the popular podcast Leading Human. Find out how to improve your team’s communication at Big Self School. You can also find the course Slow Enneagram for individuals.
