Don’t be a sore winner. Let PR show you the right ways to handle positive Glassdoor.com postings
By Lisa GoldsberryJune 30, 2014
Recruiting top talent has gotten significantly more difficult in recent years. With the popularity of social media, you can now find out more information about job seekers than ever before. Nevertheless, you should realize that while you are calling references and performing background searches on potential hires, they are checking you out, as well, often using sites like Glassdoor.com.
There are others, but Glassdoor.com is the most popular and well-known, with approximately a quarter million reviewed companies to date. These sites allow job seekers to see what they’re getting into before accepting an offer. The reviews come from people who know, such as past applicants and current employees. Of course, a negative review can send a top applicant running for your competition, so you’ll need to address those immediately. And what should you do about positive reviews?
What to do when you receive positive reviews
Sometimes we are surrounded by so much negative information that we are often taken aback when comments are flattering. If someone gave you a verbal compliment, you wouldn’t stare blankly or ignore it. Typically, you might smile or thank the person. Acknowledge online praise similarly.
Respond: Whether the review is positive or negative, you should answer it quickly. Glassdoor.com sends an email alert when a review about your company is posted. Reading and replying to comments demonstrates that your company cares about its employees, its procedures and its brand.
Promote: Genuine, positive comments say more about your company than any amount of marketing materials you could create. In addition, good reviews are a form of earned media, which is considered more trustworthy than paid advertisements. You can feature favorable reviews on your website, in annual reports and even in strategic areas around your offices.
Encourage: Many of your employees may be unaware of Glassdoor.com or that you appreciate it when they post reviews. An announcement in an internal newsletter or during staff meetings is an easy way to explain the importance of positive reviews and to advocate participation. However, you should not offer incentives or openly request only positive comments. The process must be voluntary and free from reproach in order to be successful.
Why the information on employer review sites is so important
Studies have shown that a majority of today’s business professionals admit to researching key information about employers before accepting positions, such as working conditions, policies on advancement, opportunities for professional growth and the company’s social responsibility efforts. If they don’t like what they see, they are likely to turn down the job, even when salary and benefits are favorable.
Just as you are determining whether an applicant will be a good fit for your team, he is deciding if he will be happy working at your company. With Glassdoor.com, candidates can look up anything from salary information to what it’s like to interview with your company.
Be a good sport with help from PR
When receiving positive feedback, some companies take the if-it-ain’t-broke-don’t fix-it approach, choosing to rest on their laurels. However, this would be like winning a race and not practicing or training again before the next one. In order to remain competitive and strong, you should use every occasion, whether negative or positive, as a teaching moment and opportunity for improvement.
Reputation management is critical for success. Let Axia show you how to protect your good name by cleaning up the negative and accentuating the positive information found online. Download our e-book. Online Reputation Management today for more tips on taking control of your company’s reputation.
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 at @axiapr.
Photo credit: Thinkstockphotos.com
Topics: public relations, shared media
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