Welcome back to the third part of our four-part series, where I equip sourcers with strategies to tackle candid conversations about company culture. In this segment, I will be sharing strategies on handling Glassdoor reviews, specifically addressing negative feedback about your company and the interview process.
Build Your Awareness
The first step in addressing concerns that come up on Glassdoor is knowing if they exist. If you do not have an account on Glassdoor and check it on a weekly basis, stop reading this article and create that account now! Don’t worry. This article will be here when you are done.
What did you find? All positive comments? Great! Glassdoor is certainly a place you want to send candidates. Positive comments are encouraging, but even negative ones can be managed with the right approach.
Context and How To Find It
The first step in finding the context of a negative review is getting to the heart of the reason for the complaint. Normally, complaints come from interactions with particular individuals or groups of people in your company. When confronted with a negative review, identify the root cause by reaching out to the individuals involved. Gather their perspective to understand the context fully. This step is crucial before sharing any information with potential candidates.
Unfortunate Situations vs. Fixable Problems
Distinguish between issues that are beyond your control, such as complaints from disgruntled former employees, and problems you can rectify, like flaws in the interview process. Address fixable problems promptly, implementing changes where necessary.
If there are multiple complaints addressing the same person or problem over a considerable length of time, you should provide that information to a leader in your company to have it addressed. Especially if that is impacting candidate experience and hiring.
What To Share and When
If you have been following along in this series of articles, you already know that I bring up culture at the beginning of the call when I speak to candidates. That is also the best time to bring up the Glassdoor reviews. You do not want those negative reviews to impact a candidate’s perspective later in the process.
After introducing the company culture, ask candidates if they have explored Glassdoor reviews. For those unfamiliar, encourage them to do so, and offer to provide context for any negative comments. For candidates who have already seen the reviews, be proactive in addressing their concerns, emphasizing transparency and honesty.
One last thing I wanted to bring up. Have you checked out our Glassdoor?
If you have done your homework and gathered all the context or fixed the problem, then you are providing insight and context to the candidate that they won’t get from Glassdoor. Your candidate will appreciate your candor and can now make a better-informed decision for themselves.
Don’t Be Afraid Of Glassdoor
Emphasize the importance of discussing Glassdoor reviews openly and honestly. Share your experiences of hiring candidates in the face of negative reviews, highlighting the positive outcomes of addressing concerns upfront. Transparency builds trust and demonstrates your commitment to providing candidates with a well-rounded view of the company.
I have worked at places that have had bad reviews, and I have hired many people who are still gainfully employed by those companies to this day. With each candidate, I made sure to bring up Glassdoor with them. I have also had candidates decide not to move forward in the process because of those comments, but I am glad I brought it up early in the process and not after I extended an offer.
Navigating Glassdoor reviews is not about avoiding negative feedback but about addressing it with transparency and empathy. By proactively discussing these reviews with candidates, you foster trust, enabling them to make informed decisions about joining your company.