Not happy with your ratings on Glassdoor? We’re here to show you how to boost your Glassdoor ratings. First off: don’t worry many employers are not.
But your Glassdoor rating has become a number that affects your hiring.
For instance, Appcast recently confirmed that higher Glassdoor ratings increased apply rates for job ads.
The average Glassdoor employer rating is 3.4 out of 5 (that doesn’t sound very good, does it?). That’s mainly because disgruntled former employees are often the active Glassdoor users giving you a review.
Afterall, it’s free for the disgruntled employee to give this review and it likely makes them feel great for a moment. Your current employees are less likely to be giving you ratings because they’re busy doing great work for you!
But you can change this Catch-22 with the free tips below. Enjoy!
Note: To take advantage of the tips below, you need to first “claim” your free employer profile on Glassdoor. Here’s the “Free Employer Account” page which gives you basic access to Glassdoor’s Employer Center.
1) Announce Your Business Profile to Boost Your Glassdoor Ratings
The first step in improving your Glassdoor ratings is to let your employees know you have a Glassdoor profile.
To gain company-wide support, the CEO should send a personalized email or conduct a town hall meeting to discuss Glassdoor: what it means, why it is essential, how it will benefit the company, and a brief overview of how to write company reviews and ratings.
Additionally, ask for online reviews using Glassdoor’s customizable email templates and shareable links, which you can embed in other communication channels like Slack.
2) Read and Respond to Reviews
It sounds obvious, but many of you don’t read and respond to your reviews.
It’s free to respond, and the employer has the last word. This doesn’t cost a penny and shows employees and candidates you’re engaged.
It can be challenging to see complaints on Glassdoor. After all, nobody wants to see and read bad stuff about them. However, that is not enough reason to ignore them. You can offset the bad publicity by acknowledging it. Apologize if you must, and issue a positive and personalized public response.
Responding to all reviews is an excellent way to show that your company is willing to listen to what people say and that you are committed to improving things for current and future employees. When staff and applicants see that Glassdoor reviews are taken seriously, they are encouraged to provide honest feedback, thus increasing your reviews.
3) To Boost Your Glassdoor Ratings, Ask Current Employees for Reviews
Make it a regular practice to invite candidates & employees to “tell us how we’re doing”. You’re more likely to counter those negative reviews by doing this.
I recommend you ask employees for reviews in at least these 2 ways:
- On a regular basis (so they trickle in regularly)
- After milestone type events (e.g. after an annual company meeting or other rah-rah events).
Most importantly, talking to satisfied employees about your company culture is critical. These individuals are:
- Tenured employees – these people who have been around your company for the longest time. There must be a particular reason for them to stick around: the excellent benefits/work perks, the incredible company culture, and why they won’t move to other employers.
- Employees recently promoted – they are more likely to talk about things they like about the company, what they appreciate about it, how the company promotes a healthy workplace environment, how unique your company is compared to others, and how the company recognizes their hard work.
- Employees who received good performance reviews/ratings – if they received a bonus or salary increase after performance appraisal for a job well done, they are more likely to praise the company for recognizing and rewarding good performance.
- Managers – supervisors are your allies in rallying their teams to get Glassdoor reviews. When recruiting for new roles, managers can request reviews so potential candidates have information about what’s going on with the role and company daily. Set up a reminder every six months to one year to nudge managers to talk to their team members for updated feedback.
- Members of ERGs (employee resource groups) – if your organization prides itself on having a strong DEI presence, requesting Glassdoor reviews from these individuals will result in a strong employer brand and attract more diverse candidates
Have a process in place for asking these people for reviews. Schedule them in batches, so you have enough reviews evenly spread out during different times of the year.
4) Ask Freelancers and Interns for Review
Many employers forget to invite freelancers/contractors and interns for reviews. They can be an untapped resource for additional higher-rated reviews. You just have to ask them.
Another reason that freelancer/contractor/intern reviews might be a high score is that their limited time with you reduces the chances that they had that “nightmare” episode with your business.
5) Send Candidates the “Write Review” Link to Boost Your Glassdoor Ratings
Keep in mind that candidates can also rate you on Glassdoor. And this is another great way to boost your Glassdoor ratings.
One free tip: when you or your team is thanking your candidate for interviewing with you, include this link: https://www.glassdoor.com/mz-survey/interview/collectQuestions_input.htm in your email.
It will lead the candidate to a page like below where they can rate you. There are two healthy psychology plays here:
- Candidates are more likely to give you a higher rating if you have just thanked them (Law of Reciprocity)
- Candidates are more likely to give you a higher rating if they think you’re watching them (Observation Effect).
Again, this is free for you to do. You don’t have to pay Glassdoor anything. It’s just good business practice.
6) Share “Company Updates”
It’s free to publish updates on Glassdoor. Those updates go to all of your followers, and people frequenting your jobs on Glassdoor.
Warning on spammy solutions to boost your Glassdoor ratings: There are now a bunch of what people are calling “guaranteed rate Glassdoor” websites out there. These are services that claim to get you higher ratings and better reviews on Glassdoor. Most are spammy and will end up hurting more than helping you in the long run. Be authentic!
7) Capitalize on Important Events
Every company has key events that excite and energize employees. Thus, putting them in a good mood to write positive reviews that will boost your Glassdoor ratings.
Here are scenarios where you are most likely to receive 5-star reviews:
- Newly hired staff – are excited to start their new job and more inclined to write positive reviews. Ask about their experience while applying for the company.
- Six months after hiring – by this time, new hires have had enough time to feel your culture and can give feedback to job seekers.
- After employee engagement surveys – do you have employees who have written good feedback in your recent surveys and would be glad to recommend your workplace to their friends and colleagues? Ask these employees to share their input on Glassdoor.
- Work anniversaries – are emotional times when employees remember how they started with the company, their struggles, and the good times they spent with fellow workers. This event is worth celebrating, so why not ask them to share these moments with a review that will boost your Glassdoor ratings?
- Exit interviews – if the person enjoyed their stay with your organization, you could ask them to document their journey on Glassdoor.
Create an employee review system customized for each event to ensure a steady stream of reviews on a regular. Gather employee information and send them prompts requesting a Glassdoor review when they experience these special events.
8) Share Glassdoor Ratings
Share the progress of your Glassdoor ratings with all employees regularly. Being transparent shows that you value your employees’ thoughts and feelings. It also makes the whole process a shared experience and responsibility between employees and employers.
When presenting the employees’ Glassdoor ratings, highlight the positive reviews, showing the areas where the company is doing well. Don’t leave out negative Glassdoor reviews, no matter how uncomfortable they may be. Acknowledging your shortcomings means you care for your employees and are open to improving things.
Sharing Glassdoor results and discussing your action plan will motivate more employees to post reviews. They know their sentiments will be listened to and acted upon.
The Impact of Employee Reviews on Employer Branding
Employee reviews on Glassdoor can have a huge impact on how people see your company. These reviews shape the overall perception of your company. And they also play a key role in employer branding. So, it’s vital to take the necessary steps to boost your Glassdoor ratings.
Why Employee Reviews Matter
Employee reviews are like a window into the daily life at your company. They give prospective employees a look at your workplace culture, work-life balance, and leadership team. So, when potential employees read positive Glassdoor ratings, they see your company in a positive light and are more likely to apply for a job offer.
On the other hand, negative reviews can hurt your company’s reputation. Thus, if unhappy employees leave bad reviews, it can make top talent think twice about joining your team. So, that’s why HR teams and PR teams must monitor and manage these reviews carefully.
The Power of Honest Feedback
Honest reviews, both positive and negative, provide valuable employee feedback. When employees share their experiences, it helps HR professionals understand what’s working and what needs improvement. Therefore, encouraging employees to share honest reviews can help create a better place to work.
Negative feedback can also be a good thing. It highlights areas that need attention and can guide you to make changes that improve the overall employee experience. So, addressing negative experiences shows that you care about your employees and are committed to making your workplace better. Doing this can also encourage people to update their negative reviews which can boost your Glassdoor ratings.
Building a Positive Company Profile
A high Glassdoor rating can boost your company profile and attract more candidates. Glassdoor’s best places to work often have higher customer satisfaction scores and are seen as great places to work. So, this not only attracts more candidates. But, it also attracts top candidates who are looking for a positive work environment and a strong leadership team.
Using Reviews to Your Advantage
Using employee reviews as part of your Glassdoor strategy is a best practice for improving your employer brand. So, be sure to highlight positive experiences on social media platforms and your company page. This can improve your overall rating and increase the number of reviews you receive.
It’s also important to respond to reviews. So, thank employees for positive feedback and address negative feedback constructively. This shows prospective employees that you value employee sentiment. It also shows that you are committed to making your company a great place to work.
Why I wrote this
I hope the above tips help. They are all available with a free Glassdoor employer account.
Note: Our business Ongig believes so strongly in the effect of Glassdoor ratings that our content management system now lets employers add a Glassdoor widget (with rating, salary and CEO approval) to every job description. Candidates appreciate you being this transparent! And if you don’t have a Glassdoor rating you’re proud of then we give you an option to let your employees give their own testimonials directly to you!
