5 Tips to Improve Your Employer Brand - Glassdoor for Employers
5 Tips to Improve Your Employer Brand

5 Tips to Improve Your Employer Brand

Now more than ever, social media and sites like Glassdoor have become the place to post, share and search for reviews – both good and bad. The value of online reviews is oftentimes overlooked and ignored, which can hurt a company or brand, especially in the recruiting world.

A new study shows that job seekers are much more interested in submitting their resumes to employers with positive online employee reviews, and also require smaller salary increases than those who saw neutral or negative reviews and comments. Researchers at the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria discovered that companies with positive reviews are more likely to receive a higher volume of resumes as well as lower salary requests from job candidates. The study concluded that employers who monitor online reviews, improve their practices in response to and reply to reviews on sites like Glassdoor may be able to better retain and recruit workers, especially in a tight job market.

While there is no single approach to managing your online brand, here are some guidelines to get you started:

1.) Do your research

You might not be fully aware of your company's online image, so set some time aside to search the internet and sites like Glassdoor. You will most likely come across reviews, opinions and comments posted by job candidates, current and past employees. Keep a cool head, take notes and identify common themes.

2.) Take action

One of the easiest ways to start improving your online brand is to claim your business on Glassdoor and unlock your company profile for free. This will not only allow you to respond to reviews, but you’ll also be able add company details, include a mission statement and provide information about perks and benefits.

3.) Respond to reviews

Think before you write! When it comes to responding to negative reviews, it’s always important to assess the situation. You want to show your commitment to improving, without further hurting your reputation. Come up with a plan of attack, including guidelines, and best practices that adhere to your brand.

4.) Nurture and monitor

Since the internet is here to stay, it’s important to continuously monitor your online brand. Find some time in your day or week to proactively manage reviews; or if your budget allows, hire a community manager. Continue to review online commentary, identify possible internal problems, and use the information available to build trust and credibility.

5.) Employee advocacy

Don’t forget to engage your current workforce, and don’t take employee feedback for granted.  Learn from it, find ways to improve your company culture, and create a sense of belonging. Also, encourage your employees and new hires to share their interview process, work experience and company news on social media. Employee word-of-mouth is a much better indicator of the company culture and organization than press releases. It provides a true insight for jobseekers, and is a powerful recruiting tool.  

Learn more about the Value of Employer Branding by downloading our eBook.