In today’s competitive job market, businesses are always looking for ways to attract top talent without breaking the bank. So, ensuring your business has a good online reputation should be high on your list of priorities. When we buy products online, who doesn’t check the reviews first? It’s a simple way to ensure we’re getting the value we expect, and the same goes for job hunters. Before jumping into a new role, candidates want to be sure it’s as great as advertised. After all, switching jobs due to unmet expectations doesn’t look great on anyone’s CV.
That’s where sites like Glassdoor come in. As more candidates turn to workplace review sites to make informed decisions, employers have a huge opportunity to showcase what makes their business great – without needing to spend a fortune.
But how to encourage your people to leave reviews without feeling like you’re begging for approval, or that you’re applying pressure on them to say positive things about your business and your culture when they might feel differently? Here are 10 steps you can take to get your employees on board with sharing their experiences, without it feeling like an extra chore or an uncomfortable ask they’ll try to avoid.
1. Ensure yours is a positive working environment
You can’t expect glowing reviews if your workplace isn’t glowing. A supportive, engaging environment is the foundation for authentic, positive feedback. Happy employees are naturally more inclined to share their great experiences. To foster this, make it a habit to regularly check in with your team, seek their feedback, and, most importantly, act on it. Then they’ll be much more likely to share their positive experiences with the world.
2. Introduce Glassdoor and its value
If you want employees to leave reviews, help them understand why it matters. Take time to explain how Glassdoor impacts your company’s reputation and attracts top talent. When employees realise their feedback contributes to the bigger picture, they’ll be more invested in sharing their honest experiences. Make them feel like their voice truly counts.
3. Get your company’s Glassdoor profile ‘unlocked’
Unlocking your company’s Glassdoor profile is a small investment with big returns. It allows you to showcase richer content like photos, job postings, and videos, giving potential employees a real taste of your company culture. Plus, your current team will appreciate seeing a Glassdoor page that reflects the company they know and love. It builds pride and connection.
4. Make reviews part of the employee experience
Integrate review opportunities into key moments of the employee journey:
Onboarding: New hires are full of excitement, so ask them about their first impressions.
Work anniversaries: Reflecting on growth and milestones is the perfect time to gather feedback.
Promotions and milestones: Celebrate career progress while gathering insights into their journey so far.
Exit interviews: Even departing employees can share balanced, thoughtful feedback.
This approach keeps your Glassdoor page fresh and active.
5. Simplify the process – offer a clear “How to” guide
Make leaving a review a breeze by providing clear, step-by-step instructions. Not everyone’s familiar with how Glassdoor works, so guide them through the process. Offer simple, easy-to-follow steps to ensure they feel comfortable sharing their feedback without stress or confusion. The simpler you make it, the more likely they’ll take the time to write a review.
6. Encourage open and honest feedback
Let your team know that honest feedback is not only encouraged, but it’s genuinely valued. Make it clear there’s no pressure to leave only positive comments – authenticity is key. Whether they’re sharing praise or constructive criticism, giving employees the freedom to be open creates a culture of trust. Plus, potential candidates can spot fake reviews a mile off, so be upfront about the good and the bad.
7. Make it more fun – gamify the process
Glassdoor doesn’t allow incentivised reviews (and rightfully so!), but you can still make the review process fun and engaging with a bit of healthy competition. Create a friendly leaderboard, showing which departments have the most Glassdoor engagement. Give shout-outs to employees and teams who actively participate. This approach will help encourage everyone to join in without feeling forced. Who doesn’t love a bit of friendly competition?
8. Respond to reviews
Actively monitoring and responding to reviews on Glassdoor is essential for creating a transparent, open dialogue with your employees. Whether the feedback is positive or negative, showing you’ve engaged with it lets your team know you genuinely care about their opinions. By acknowledging reviews in a meaningful way, you’re reinforcing the idea that employee feedback drives progress and contributes to a better workplace for everyone.
9. Feature reviews in your internal communications
If you want your team to leave reviews, show them what happens when they do. Feature positive reviews in your internal communications; think company newsletters, all-hands meetings, or even on your social media pages. You could also use employee testimonials as part of your recruitment strategy. Why? Because doing so creates a culture of recognition. When employees see their peers being celebrated for sharing their experiences, it encourages them to do the same.
10. Make reviews a catalyst for change
Glassdoor reviews aren’t just for external branding – they should drive real change. When employees see that their feedback leads to improvements, they’re more likely to leave reviews in the future. Hold regular town halls to discuss common themes in reviews and outline steps you’re taking to make change. When feedback translates into action, employees will be even more motivated to share their thoughts.
In short, keep it real!
The key to encouraging positive Glassdoor reviews is to create an environment where your people genuinely want to share their experiences. By making reviews a regular part of your company culture, recognising employee contributions, and ensuring that feedback leads to meaningful change, you’ll be building a stronger employer brand – one authentic review at a time.
Need a little help?
We hope you’ve found this content helpful. If you want help, support or even just a chat about this or any aspect of your employer brand or talent strategy, drop us a line. After all, much of our best work has started with a cup of tea or a Zoom call.
