Whether you’re selecting a place for dinner, buying a car, seeking a new dentist, or simply just in the mood to try out a recipe for a favorite dish, one of your first instincts is to scour reviews and see what others have thought of their experience. Similarly, there is a review site for potential employees considering joining your company, and this site may make or break your recruiting efforts, whether you are doing it yourself as an HR pro, or have the help of a Professional Employer Organization.
Glassdoor is just that: a review site that aggregates the opinions of your company’s employees, both current and former, and creates a series of scores based on various metrics of importance to workers. Reviewers are encouraged to provide insight into your company’s interview process, compensation structure, the likelihood of career advancement, among other topics. It is all anonymous, with reviewers only providing data on their job position and whether they are still at the company or not. It can be human resources best friend or worst enemy.
If you have a favorable Glassdoor profile, it can significantly buoy your recruiting efforts. Those on the fence about leaving a perfectly good job may be bolstered by reviews suggesting that your company can provide the promotional ladder or compensation that they feel is lacking in their current role. Similarly, those already in the interview process will feel reassured that your efforts to woo them during the recruiting process are based in truth and that they are poised to join a company of satisfied colleagues.
But what if your Glassdoor profile is far from positive? As one would expect, a negative review – even if old or not based at all in what you perceive to be the truth – can make the recruiting process even more difficult for even the most seasoned human resources professional. If Glen from accounting is upset because he feels he got passed over for a promotion, he may choose to unleash his frustration in a scathing Glassdoor review. The context around why he didn’t get the promotion isn’t included in the review, but there is now an opinion in public forum that your company doesn’t like to promote from within its ranks and that you don’t like your employees to advance.
Whether positive, negative or non-existent, there is a lot you can do to manage your Glassdoor reviews and the site can become a great tool for recruiting and even marketing for your company.
Check In
Check in on your Glassdoor profile frequently and view any new comments. Providing a fast and timely response shows that you are unafraid of the review process and also helps things from spiraling out of control if there is a bad comment.
Close the Loop
If the review is positive, thank the reviewer for their feedback and include an uplifting sign off such as “we’re proud of the business we have become,” “we’re excited for what the future holds for our business,” or even just “we are so proud of our employees’ accomplishments.” In addition to showing your presence on the site, responding to the comment closes it from further comments.
Spin It
If the review is negative, there are still steps you can take. Apologize for the employee’s experience and, where possible, explain in very general terms what may have caused the problem. If you have made a change in response to the feedback, state that you have and state exactly what it involves. If it’s just malicious, a simple “we regret that this was your experience, but feel that this isn’t commonplace among our employees” will do the trick and close that comment loop so no further arguments can ensue.
But Really Learn From What People Say
If you have a negative comment, perhaps there is something to the complaint. Really think about what was said and determine whether it does raise red flags about something in your company that could or should be fixed. Similarly, if folks are reporting that you’re a great company, but your pay scale isn’t up to par, consider what you can do to level the playing field and make yourself more competitive.
Take Ownership
It is possible to create a business account on Glassdoor. In doing so, you can get ahead of things and control some of the messaging. You can create the design of the page, respond to reviews, and even perform analytics on your own reviews. Posting company updates, news in your field, and other relevant topics to further demonstrate your engagement in the platform, spread good news about your company, and may boost your ratings at no cost.
Get Your Employees on Board
Having unfavorable reviews is only slightly less damaging than having no reviews at all. If your reviews are sparse or non-existent, launch a campaign to encourage employees to share their experiences working at your firm. It’s all anonymous, so tracking it might be difficult, but perhaps you could add a fun incentive to get the ball rolling.
Have additional questions about what a PEO can offer an HR professional like yourself? Download our resource guide for more information.
