Understanding the Sentiment Index

Dr Nathan Jones (CEO)

• 2 min read

When using MOOD.ai, the Sentiment Index is one of the key features within your company insights. It offers a high-level view of how people are experiencing work – not just emotionally, but across 14 psychosocial dimensions that shape day-to-day life.

Generally, you’ll see the Sentiment Index displayed as a simple rating:

  • Outstanding (90–100%)
  • Excellent (80–89%)
  • Great (70–79%)
  • Good (60–69%)
  • Moderate (40–59%)
  • Needs Attention (0–39%)

These categories are derived from a statistical average of daily check-ins. But behind this simple display is a powerful engine based on the best-available science.

What is the Sentiment Index measuring?

The Sentiment Index is informed by the same body of research that underpins Australia's leading psychosocial risk assessment models, including frameworks used by Safe Work Australia and international health authorities. Each check-in response contributes to a composite score across 14 workplace factors known to influence wellbeing and performance.

To keep things fair and representative, the Index includes only the first check-in of each day per person. This helps avoid over-representing highly active users and ensures a balanced organisational snapshot.

Why does it matter?

Psychosocial risks – like excessive job demands, low recognition, or unclear expectations – are now recognised as major contributors to workplace stress and burnout (Cousins et al., 2004; Kristensen et al., 2005; WHO, 2019). Left unaddressed, these issues impact everything from mental health to productivity and retention.

By summarising this data into a clear signal, the Sentiment Index helps everyone – especially managers and HR – understand how teams are tracking. It acts as a continuous workplace pulse, reflecting not just how people feel, but how well the system is supporting them.

What are the 14 categories?

The Sentiment Index is built on these key psychosocial factors:

  • Psychological Wellbeing
  • Workplace Respect
  • Workload Management
  • Emotional Ease
  • Job Control
  • Praise and Recognition
  • Role Clarity
  • Role Alignment
  • Supervisor Support
  • Co-worker Support
  • Procedural Justice
  • Change Consultation
  • Group Cohesion
  • Group Task Agreement

Each category is positively framed for clarity and consistency, using terms like Role Clarity instead of deficit-based language such as Role Ambiguity. This keeps the model constructive and easier to understand, highlighting where teams are thriving and where support may be needed.

How can I use the Sentiment Index?

If you’re a team member, it helps you understand the big picture. If you’re a leader or HR partner, it gives you a trusted signal to guide conversations, spot emerging issues, and respond before risks escalate.

Your organisation can also track shifts over time, across teams and locations. Is a new initiative improving group cohesion? Has workload pressure eased? The Index helps answer these questions – with real-world data, not guesswork.

Built on trusted research

The Sentiment Index is grounded in peer-reviewed science and draws from leading frameworks including:

  • Cousins et al. (2004) on role clarity and job control
  • Kristensen et al. (2005) on emotional demands and wellbeing
  • Colquitt (2001) on procedural justice
  • Jehn et al. (2008) on conflict and cohesion
  • WHO (2019) recognition of burnout as an occupational syndrome

Together, these studies form the foundation for many recognised psychosocial risk models – and now, the core of the MOOD.ai Sentiment Index.

Our goal isn’t just to measure how people feel. It’s to help organisations know how to respond.

That’s what makes the Sentiment Index so powerful.

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