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Basic Needs Satisfaction at Work Scale

Basic Needs Satisfaction at Work Scale Test

Understand how free, capable, and connected you feel at work in just 4 minutes. Get clear, actionable insight to boost engagement, improve culture, and help prevent burnout.

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Questions: 214 minutes

Hi! My name is Freudly, i am an AI therapist, I will give you an interpretation of the test after you complete it.

08:30

October 2, 2025

October 2, 2025
Material has been updated

October 2, 2025
Material has been published

20,167 views

1,545 completions

1,363 likes

Verified by Daniel Hall

Psychologist with 25 years of experience

Scale Explorer

How the Scales are Structured

example score

3/7

Relatedness Need Satisfaction (RNS)

Measures how supported, accepted, and socially connected a person feels at work.

Low connectedness

Moderate connectedness

High connectedness

1 – 4.2: Low connectedness | 4.3 – 6: Moderate connectedness | 6.1 – 7: High connectedness

A score of 3 indicates low perceived connectedness at work, suggesting limited feelings of support or belonging with others.

example score

3/7

Competence Need (CN)

Measures how effective and capable a person feels in handling their work tasks and challenges.

Low competence satisfaction

Moderate competence satisfaction

High competence satisfaction

1 – 4.2: Low competence satisfaction | 4.3 – 5.9: Moderate competence satisfaction | 6 – 7: High competence satisfaction

A score of 3 suggests lower satisfaction of the need for competence, indicating you may often feel less effective or confident in completing work tasks.

example score

5/7

Autonomy Need (AN)

Measures how much a person feels choice, self-direction, and alignment with their own values in their work activities.

Low autonomy

Moderate autonomy

High autonomy

1 – 3.9: Low autonomy | 4 – 5.6: Moderate autonomy | 5.7 – 7: High autonomy

A score of 5 indicates a moderate sense of autonomy at work, with some personal choice and self-direction but also notable constraints or external direction.

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DATA-BASED USER COHORTS

Who Usually Takes This Test?

Employees Checking Well-Being

44%OF USERS

People take it to understand whether they feel free to make choices, capable in their role, and connected to coworkers.

Managers and Team Leads

31%OF USERS

Leaders use it to spot motivation blockers in their team and adjust how work is structured, supported, and communicated.

HR and People Ops

25%OF USERS

HR teams use it to measure morale and evaluate the impact of changes like reorganizations, new policies, or training.

BASED ON AGGREGATED, ANONYMIZED DATA FROM TENS OF THOUSANDS OF FREUDLY USERS.

RESULTS YOU CAN ACTUALLY USE

Scale Results
— Explained Clearly

Your scores across each test scale are translated into plain, usable insights. You won’t just get numbers — you’ll learn how your results impact your daily life, emotional state, and overall well-being.

AI-Powered
Interpretation

You’ll receive a structured, clinically-grounded explanation. Our AI analyzes patterns and relationships between scales to provide a coherent interpretation, without exaggerated language.

Statistical
Comparison

See how your results compare to others. Anonymized platform data is used to create a percentile scale, which identifies whether your results are typical.

Practical
Recommendations

You’ll receive clear, actionable guidance tailored to your profile. These easy-to-implement suggestions focus on coping, self-regulation, and realistic next steps.

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Insights

Get insights on behavioral and thought patterns you might not notice on your own. By uncovering subtle connections between your responses, you’ll better understand what may be driving your current results.

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Used in 52+ countries

Benchmarking

See How You Compare

Once you complete the test, your results are compared with real-world data from people in your country.
Below is a preview of how scores are typically distributed across each scale.

The Need for Connectedness (TNfC)

Average

4.9

Normal range

3.8 — 5.9

min.

max.

Majority

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

The Need for Competence (TNfC)

Average

3.5

Normal range

2.6 — 4.3

min.

max.

Majority

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

The Need for Autonomy (TNfA)

Average

3.5

Normal range

2.4 — 4.5

min.

max.

Majority

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

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CLEAR ANSWERS TO COMMON QUESTIONS

Frequently Asked Questions

What does this questionnaire measure?

It measures satisfaction of three basic psychological needs at work: autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Scores indicate how much the work setting supports motivation and well-being.

How long does it take to complete and how many items are included?

Completion typically takes about 4 minutes. The questionnaire contains 21 items.

How should responses be selected?

Each item should be rated based on current experiences at work. Responses should reflect typical feelings rather than unusual events.

How are results interpreted?

Higher scores indicate greater satisfaction in the relevant area, and lower scores indicate potential unmet needs. Results are usually reviewed by subscale rather than as a single total score.

Is there a right or wrong way to answer?

There are no correct answers. Accurate results depend on responding honestly and consistently.

WHAT THE TEST MEASURES

About This Assessment

Basic Needs Satisfaction Scale at Work Test

Basic Needs Satisfaction at Work Scale Test - Symptoms and Signs

arrange self-determination job satisfaction

This self-report measure assesses perceived satisfaction of core psychological needs in the workplace. The Basic Needs Satisfaction at Work Scale is used to evaluate employees’ experiences of autonomy, competence, and relatedness in their work setting.

The instrument includes 21 items and typically takes about 4 minutes to complete. Results can support organizational assessment and research by characterizing the extent to which the work environment is experienced as self-directed, effective, and socially connected, which may inform hypotheses about motivation and well-being.

Scores from the Basic Needs Satisfaction at Work Scale are generally interpreted at the subscale level (autonomy, competence, relatedness) and may be used to monitor change over time (e.g., following organizational interventions) when administered under consistent conditions.

Author: edward-l-deci, richard-m-ryan

Literature: Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. The “what” and “why” of goal pursuits: Human needs and the self-determination of behavior. Psychological Inquiry. 2000.; Deci, E. L., Ryan, R. M., Gagné, M., Leone, D. R., Usunov, J., & Kornazheva, B. Need satisfaction, motivation, and well-being in the work organizations of a former Eastern bloc country: A cross-cultural study of self-determination. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin. 2001.

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