Should Employers Embrace Review Sites in the Same Way Hoteliers and Restaurant Owners Do?

Love them or hate them, review sites have become an integral part of decision-making for consumers and employees alike. Just as diners rely on Yelp to pick the best restaurants and travellers turn to TripAdvisor for hotel recommendations, job seekers are increasingly using platforms like Glassdoor to base employment decisions on. The undeniable power of these platforms lies in their ability to influence perceptions and decisions, making them an increasingly critical component of a company's reputation. Is it time we, as employers, start treating review sites a lot more like hoteliers do?

We all know how it works. In fact, us humans have gotten quite adept at quickly finding reviews, spotting patterns, and distinguishing between what we believe and what we ignored. Just like most forms of communications intended to influence us, reviews tend to have a much greater impact on our perceptions than we might care to admit. Yep, there’s a reason $675 billion is spent on advertising each year… it works!

As for whether your potential hires are checking platforms like Glassdoor or not, take it from someone who has run more focus group discussions than he has had hot dinners - they are! Try as you might, there’s simply no escaping it. Based on countless hours of these discussions, I must tell you that negative reviews (or your competitors’ more favourable reviews) are causing your candidates to drop out, ghost you, or not bother applying at all. Even when the reviews clearly come from a disgruntled former employee with an axe to grind, the seeds of doubt that they’re sewing are still costing employers quality candidates and valuable resources - such is the fickle nature of brand perception.

Of all the review sites out there, Glassdoor has become the one platform that employers can no longer afford to dismiss. With millions of people making career decisions based on information found on Glassdoor, the platform has now positioned itself as a vital component of an organisation’s reputation and employer brand. Failing to address or properly manage this platform can genuinely have disastrous repercussions, undoing the good work of the talent attraction and employer branding teams. Conversely, if done right, embracing and strategically managing Glassdoor can bring significant benefits and create a clear competitive advantage.

The Power of Glassdoor: By the Numbers

• 89% of job seekers are likely to use their mobile device during their job search, and 84% of job seekers reportedly trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations .
• Over 67 million people visit Glassdoor each month, and the site features over 114 million reviews, salaries, and insights for more than 2.2 million companies.
• 76% of job seekers report that they research a company’s reputation before applying for a job, with 86% admitting they are likely to be influenced by reviews when deciding where to apply.
• Companies that take an active role in managing their Glassdoor profiles see a 33% increase in applicant quality compared to those that don’t engage on the platform.

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The Risks of Ignoring Glassdoor

Ignoring Glassdoor—or worse, dismissing the importance of reviews employee altogether—can have significant negative consequences. Companies that turn a blind eye to their online reputation may experience:

1. Talent Drain: Negative reviews that go unanswered will deter a significant proportion of top talent from applying. Studies show that 55% of job seekers will not apply to a company with negative reviews unless those issues have been addressed.
2. Brand Damage: A poor presence on Glassdoor will tarnish a company’s overall reputation. Negative feedback on the site can spread to other platforms and influence not just potential employees, but also customers and investors.
3. Lower Morale: your current employees often look at Glassdoor to see what their peers are saying. A neglected profile with negative reviews can seep through your organisation and demoralise staff, leading to increased disengagement and turnover.
4. Missed Insights: Employers who ignore Glassdoor are missing out on valuable feedback and data that can help improve engagement, workplace culture, management practices, and overall employee satisfaction.

Embracing and Managing Glassdoor: A Strategic Approach

There is no point in seeing Glassdoor as a threat, as so many still do. Instead, companies should get it working for them, use it to boost their online brand and reputation, and outmanoeuvre their main talent rivals - just like successful hoteliers and restauranteurs have learnt to do.

Borrowed from the world of TripAdvisor, here are some best practices to manage and leverage Glassdoor effectively:

• Claim and Optimize Your Profile:

If you haven’t done so already, the first step is to claim your company’s Glassdoor profile. Once claimed, ensure that all information is accurate, up-to-date, and leans into your strengths. Upload high-quality images, include a compelling company description, and showcase things you’re proud of, such as your EVP, values, mission, and culture. A well-maintained profile gives a much better impression to visiting talent.

• Encourage Balanced Reviews:

Actively encourage current employees to leave honest reviews on Glassdoor. While some may be hesitant, make it clear that their feedback is valued and can lead to positive changes. Encouraging reviews from all levels of the organization can lead to a more balanced view, rather than just extreme opinions. It’s especially wise to encourage reviews as part of your employee ambassador and alumni programs, if you have them. Similarly, those in positions of leadership or influence should be encouraged to lead by example. All these smalls acts, when combined, will help tip the scales more in your favour.

• Respond to Reviews:

Engaging with reviews, both negative and positive, is critical, it shows that you care about employee feedback. When responding to negative reviews, be professional, empathetic, and constructive. A thoughtful response can mitigate the impact of a negative review and demonstrate your commitment to improvement. Whatever you do, don’t fall into the trap of being confrontational, bitter, or passive aggressive in your responses. Humility will go a long way when replying to the positive reviews, which you absolutely must do.

• Monitor and Analyse Feedback:

Regularly monitor your Glassdoor profile to stay informed about employee sentiment. Use the analytics tools within the platform to analyse trends in the feedback and identify areas where your company excels and where it needs improvement. Include this data when making decisions about workplace policies and practices. Be sure to have protocols in place for sharing the feedback down the line to managers who’re able to act upon it.

Comparing your Glassdoor data with other datasets, such as your engagement survey data or employer branding data can be an interesting exercise and help you to prioritise the main areas of focus.

• Promote Positive Aspects:

Be proactive and use Glassdoor to highlight the positive aspects of your workplace. Treat Glassdoor as you would any other social media site you use for your employer brand content and stories. If done well, positive content can counterbalance negative reviews and paint a more complete picture of your organization.

• Leverage Glassdoor in Recruitment:

Just like hotels do with TripAdvisor, showcase positive reviews and your Glassdoor rating in things like job ads, your careers site, and during interviews. Highlighting your strong Glassdoor presence can be a powerful recruitment tool, especially for attracting discerning top-quality talent. If you’re outperforming your talent rivals talk about this when recruiting.

Getting Glassdoor to Work for You

To fully leverage Glassdoor, companies need to integrate it into their broader HR and employer branding strategies. Here’s how you can get Glassdoor working for you:

• Employer Branding:

Glassdoor should be a central component of your employer branding efforts. Don’t leave it out. Consistently align your Glassdoor content with your overall brand messaging. When utilised properly, you can get a lot of bang for your buck on this platform. Top agencies like Fathom can support employers in getting the most out of the platform (and often at no extra cost).

• Employee Advocacy:

Encourage employees to advocate for your company on Glassdoor and build it into your ambassador and alumni programs. Happy and engaged employees are often willing to share their positive experiences, which can help build a strong, authentic online presence. Of course, you shouldn’t pressure employees to write reviews but it’s okay to be up front about how you care about your online reputation and brand, what it means in terms of accessing high-calibre talent, and why you value it.

• Transparency:

Cultivate a culture of transparency within your organization and include Glassdoor and other feedback channels within this culture. When employees feel that the company is open and honest, this is likely to be reflected in your reviews. Transparency can also prevent potential issues from festering away or escalating into larger problems. Get your people managers into the habit of sharing good and bad reviews in team meetings or other forums to show that all feedback is taken constructively.

• Continuous Improvement:

Be data-driven and openly use the feedback from Glassdoor as a tool for continuous improvement. Regularly review the comments and take actionable steps to address recurring issues. By showing that you don’t sweep negative feedback under the rug, but are responsive and proactive, you’ll be surprised by how often you can turn potential negatives into positives.

• Use an expert if you don’t have the skills or time to do it yourself:

As Glassdoor and Indeed themselves (they’re the same folks) work widely with specially selected industry resellers, going through one of these experts means you’ll get the heavy lifting done for you, so it won’t become a drag to manage your profile. It’s also the best way to ensure you don’t miss any features of the site, have an optimal setup, get regular and meaningful analytics updates, and nothing falls through the cracks. If in doubt, email or WhatsApp the team at www.fathom.inc.

Conclusion

Glassdoor is no longer just a review site—it’s a ubiquitous platform that can significantly impact your company’s reputation and ability to recruit. Ignoring or mismanaging your Glassdoor presence can lead to costly consequences, from talent loss to brand damage. However, by embracing the platform, engaging with feedback, and strategically managing your online reputation, you can turn Glassdoor into a powerful ally in attracting and retaining top talent, improving employee satisfaction, and enhancing your employer brand. In today’s ruthless job market, this is an opportunity that no forward-thinking employer can afford to overlook.

I recommend taking a leaf out of the book of successful hoteliers, restaurant owners, and those running popular Airbnb accommodations. These savvy folk know full well the value of positive reviews in encouraging others to come and give them a try. Good reviews buy trust in a marketplace where trust is rare commodity. For any employer who’s late to the party, or who’s been resisting, now is the time to get your online reputation in order.

Takeaways

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