Do Glassdoor Reviews Really Matter?

Yes, Glassdoor reviews really matter. 

We live in a digital and transactional world, so it's no wonder people rely upon online reviews. You can rate a meal, an experience, and with Glassdoor, even your employer too. Reviews matter because they give first-hand accounts, so there is truth and credibility to them. 

How Job Seeks Use Glassdoor Reviews

Job seekers are eager to find out insights about your company. While your Glassdoor page provides them with the information you want them to engage with, they’re also interested in finding out what it’s like from others who are working there. That is where the importance of reviews and ratings comes in. These seek to create transparency in the workplace and recruitment process. Glassdoor Reviews are from former and current employees. 

Many candidates use Glassdoor when job hunting. It is the second-largest recruitment site in the US, with similar levels of popularity elsewhere too. Candidates look at company ratings to narrow down their preferential employer lists - in other words, they want to work for a company that has good reviews, as this is an indication of what they’ll be signing up for and will influence their satisfaction in the workplace. 

Applicants have therefore been found to look at Glassdoor reviews before seeking jobs, but also after they’ve seen a job ad and want to learn more, or during the application process to find out insights about the company. Some may only look at the reviews after receiving an offer, with the results influencing whether or not they accept the offer. 

The above is an indication that reviews matter. But why do they really matter? Let’s take this a step further. 

Why Glassdoor Reviews Really Matter

Job ads with an elusive “competitive salary” and little to no other information about the company itself are a thing of the past. In fact, businesses can no longer wax lyrical about the benefits they offer, or on the other end of the scale, avoid offering benefits at all. When people read company reviews, they care about both of these elements. Naturally, it isn’t all about the money and perks, but they are important factors nonetheless. 

See, Glassdoor reviews are standardized in that each contributor is required to rate the company out of five stars for the following categories:

• Culture and values
• Work-life balance
• Senior management
• Compensation and benefits
• Career opportunities

That means for a business to score highly, it needs to offer a well-rounded working environment to its employees. These are all aspects that the business has influence over, so it’s important to build the company up in that way so that the reviews are reflective of this. With employment habits and workplaces changing, more people are continuing to work remotely, so looking into reviews is often used as a means to vet a company. 

In the same way that positive reviews can encourage someone to apply or accept an offer, negative reviews can deter those very actions. Some of the aspects that people look for in reviews and negative reviews are management styles, workplace culture and values, work-life balance, opportunities for career advancement, and the kind of compensation and benefits you can receive. 

The ratings a company gets are calculated to show the average scores among candidates. Companies are encouraged to continually work to improve their reviews as people tend to consider reviews posted within the last year to six months as most important. Candidates are also able to discern aspects that may not matter as much to them personally or notice when a rogue former employee has a bone to pick.

Reviews are particularly important for the youthful candidates who are used to researching reviews before making pretty much any decision, from buying cars to clothes and everything in between. Furthermore, companies with great reviews will attract the best talent - people want to contribute to companies with positive working environments, who value their time and efforts. People also look to Glassdoor to stay up to date so it's a great platform to communicate with interested candidates who will appreciate your commitment to keeping them in the loop. 

Businesses need to look at Glassdoor as a way to manage their reputation, though to do so they have to actually do the work and ensure that their employees are satisfied. The CEOs of companies can also be rated on Glassdoor, which is also important as their leadership plays an important role in the way the company moves and works. 

The reviews that employees leave can also help your business to transform from within. There are valuable insights here for HR teams to reflect upon and build strategies around. They can help improve your employee engagement and retention levels as well. They can also compare their competitor's pages to see where they can introduce USPs for candidates. 

The Importance of Reviews on Glassdoor

Glassdoor is a recruitment platform of great value and importance. It provides employers with the opportunity to share content with candidates and allows current and former employees to rate them and leave reviews. By using Glassdoor, recruitment is made more transparent, and candidates looking at reviews can get insights about a company that can help them make informed decisions regarding their applications. 

Nexa can help you with your recruitment strategy. Speak with us to find out more.