How important is it to monitor Glassdoor?

Keep track of what they’re saying about you on this vital site.

A candidate who didn’t get the job trashes your company on Glassdoor. He’s just bitter, so it’s no big deal. A former employee does the same, but people don’t really pay attention to that kind of thing. Or do they?

Some companies don’t take Glassdoor reviews seriously. Others have no idea what it says or how their companies appear. Both attitudes can have lasting, negative consequences for your company. 

With help from PR, you can learn to take control of your online image.

What is Glassdoor and why should you care about it?

Numerous websites are important for businesses, such as LinkedIn, CareerBuilder and Yelp. Glassdoor is a place where current, former and even potential employees can go to rate your business. They judge you on everything from the type of salaries you pay to your interview processes.

The site ranks more than 250,000 businesses, making it more popular than CareerBuilder as a top site for job information. Job applicants especially use it to get a complete picture of a company to decide if they would be happy working there.

Other factors being equal, you can lose top candidates to your competition (and probably already have) because of your online reputation and your company culture. People see Glassdoor.com reviews as inside information from those who know the real deal, even though they’re the opinions of strangers.

What can you do about negative reviews on Glassdoor?

Imagine if someone was given instant, unfettered access to your company. What would she see? Are there unhappy, overworked executives? Would there be cases of employees behaving badly?  Glassdoor is exactly what its name implies: a good look at your company through the glass door. As it turns out, many companies are unhappy with what people are seeing.

Since the site allows people to express opinions anonymously, those who post there feel free to say whatever they want. Some might be slightly exaggerated due to feelings of disappointment or anger getting in the way, but there is typically an overtone of truth. Therefore, when readers view all the posts as a whole, it can provide a more honest, accurate picture of your organization than what you say in publications or candidate interviews.

In the past, dissatisfaction over issues such as restructuring, promotions and ineffective managers were dealt with internally in meetings and performance reviews. Now, it’s all played out for the whole world to see, potentially damaging your image in the process. So what can you do when a majority of the information is negative?

Repair what’s wrong. It’s likely that most reviewers will be complaining about the same one or two issues. This is the time to take a hard look at your company and make some changes.

Take back control of your online reputation. Glassdoor allows employers to have their own accounts and post links to company social media sites and other positive information sources.

Encourage positive reviews. Most people are quick to express displeasure but don’t think about offering praise for good experiences. It could be helpful to remind all employees about the site and let them know that you support and welcome all feedback.

What can PR do to help?

Negative information on Glassdoor is like peeling paint on a house: The more you ignore it, the worse it gets. PR can help you manage your online reputation and reviews.

At Axia Public Relations, we will help you create a reputation management strategy that protects your brand and increases your profitability. Contact us today or download our Online Reputation Management e-book to find out how we can make the most of your online reviews.

Lisa Goldsberry is a writer for Axia Public Relations with more than 15 years of public relations experience. She specializes in business, higher education and technology PR. Connect with Axia Public Relations on Twitter @axiapr.