Glassdoor - take it seriously

Glassdoor (Wiki) is a recruitment site with a difference - and that's why it's featuring here.

Besides being a massive job site, it is the world's biggest online employment review website. 

So why should we be taking any notice of it?

 Why would IBM be happy with a score of 3.3 on Glassdoor? Review management is about more than just Google and Facebook!

For three reasons:

1.  It ranks really high in search; if your business is reviewed on Glassdoor those reviews will show up in search. If those reviews are negative - however unfairly - they will create a bad impression
2. If the comments on your business are unfairly negative, they will be driving quality recruits away 
3. Because it ranks so well in search your prospective customers will see it

People are far more motivated to write a review if they have had a negative experience - and that applies equally to a stay in a hotel or a review of your place of employment. So, to look as good as the reality on Glassdoor a business must be proactive there in the same way as it would be with Google reviews.

The reason IBM looks as bad as it does is because the overwhelming majority of reviews are written by either:

• leavers or
• recent recruits

Both categories where dissatisfaction is likely to be higher than average. 

The Solution

First: the business must ask current staff to write reviews. And the key word there is 'ask' - not 'demand' or 'insist' or 'bribe' - otherwise it risks a massive PR nightmare. 

  Respond - however critical or unfair or badly written the review is, always respond - and also obey the second golden rule: address the issue(s) raised in the review - head on.

Then: respond to your reviews. Don't assume you will be somehow glorifying or condoning the review by doing so, you won't, you will be protecting your business's reputation. Remember that people are looking at these reviews for a specific reason: they are considering working for you! Who do you want to have the last word in that context?

If you are unsure about the mechanism for responding to reviews on Glassdoor (or any other site, for that matter) don't hesitate to speak to Karen or one of her team. In the same vein: if you are unsure as to the wording of your response speak to Karen or John Williams.