Here at Chatter, we’ve been banging on about the importance of your employer reputation for the last 4 years, so why do we think it’s so important? Glassdoor and other sites like it are a great example of why having a great reputation is critically important to the future success of your business.
Think about it - how many of us buy anything these days without checking out a review site or two? A holiday or a restaurant? TripAdvisor; a great book to keep you occupied whilst you’re kicking back on the beach? Amazon. So it’s hardly surprising that candidates want to get the inside track on you as a potential new employer before they take the plunge.
Via Glassdoor, employees past and present, are busy writing honest assessments about businesses they’ve worked for, and the people who manage it. Scary isn’t it?
Since launching in 2008, they’ve seen huge growth. They now have over 22 million members worldwide - that’s the equivalent of the entire population of Taiwan. 5.7 million reviews on nearly 300,000 companies in 190 countries and a shed load of innovation awards!
Your company is being publicly pitched against others and rated for things like work environment, employee benefits, pension plans, diversity initiatives, recruitment process and employee training programs. It’s having a big impact on how successfully you can attract and recruit the best talent to join your teams.
So how do you respond?
Listen to what’s been said
It makes good sense to monitor your Glassdoor profile. Weed the constructive criticism out from any general whinging and identify common trends and themes.
Actions speak louder than words
As an employer, you do have a right to respond and sometimes it’s good to do just that. Nip it in the bud so to speak. But think before you act, try not to seem defensive.
The key to your success will be how you use the reviews to improve the experience your employees have of you. It might not be comfortable to have your dirty washing aired in public, but it’s valuable insight. Consult with your own people, dig a bit deeper into the issues and think about the small improvements you can make right now, and the bigger projects you can kick off later.
Embrace it
Social media channels are here to stay. Get the housekeeping right within your business and you’ve everything to gain. Encourage your own people to engage with it so there’s a spread of opinion - from those who stay as well as those who move on.
And keep listening, learning and improving.
Drop us a line if you want to know how we can help.
