6 Ways to Respond to a Negative Glassdoor Review

Savvy job-seekers are turning to employer review sites like Glassdoor before applying at a new company. Glassdoor provides free company reviews for nearly 750,000 companies from employees themselves, so job seekers can find honest information on salaries, CEO approval, whether current employees would recommend the company to their friends and more. As a candidate-centric platform, Glassdoor is useful in providing insider information regarding which companies to flock to and which to stay away from. Employers, however, may not be so keen on Glassdoor’s honest review platform as it may result in a negative review from time to time. Companies who receive a negative review or two need not panic, though. Here are 6 ways companies with negative Glassdoor reviews can bounce back and boost their employer brand.

Reply to every review

According to
Glassdoor, 62% of job seekers say their perception of a company improves after seeing an employer respond to a review. Replying back to the review will show candidates that you care about your company’s reputation and want to actively improve it. It also shows that employees at your company aren’t just a number; that somebody took time to type out a thoughtful response. In the age of technology and artificial intelligence, those small personal touches can go far.
Designate a response team

Deciding who will manage responses for Glassdoor reviews will ensure someone from your company is notified every time a review goes live. This point person or team could also have a few pre-written responses for negative reviewers and customize them as necessary.
Encourage positive reviews from employees

A barrage of positive reviews will help to offset a negative one quickly. While the jury is out on whether it’s ethical to self-review on other platforms like Facebook or Google, asking for employee reviews on Glassdoor is encouraged.
Take an honest look at your company culture

Take some time to reflect on the review and use it as a learning opportunity. Maybe there are positive changes to processes, team structures, salaries or job functions that can come from the negative review. Use discretion to determine if the review is just a disgruntled former employee, or if their points are valid.
Flag a review for a second look by Glassdoor

Glassdoor provides the option to flag a review for employers that believe reviews are fraudulent or inappropriate. Their team will research the review and determine the appropriate course of action. Keep in mind that the review may not come down even after flagging it.
Add a non-disparagement clause to employee contracts

To prevent negative reviewers in the future, consider adding a non-disparagement clause to your employee agreements. This route may not eliminate negative reviews entirely, but it can give managers a little more peace of mind knowing there are expectations for employee behavior on review sites.