Dive Brief:
- Despite a slight trend toward the negative in other areas, online ratings of a company's culture tend to be pretty accurate, according to Energage and kununu's annual Employee Engagement Survey, emailed to HR Dive.
- The group says employers should concern themselves with managing their online reputation because 76% of job seekers research employers before applying for an opening and 84% of passive job seekers would think about leaving their current employer if another with an outstanding rating made a job offer.
- Researchers in the study said that the best defense against a negative online reputation is a positive culture that makes employees central to its success.
Dive Insight:
The survey's findings complement what other research has found. For example, just one in five job seekers would consider working for an employer with a 1-star rating, according to a recent CareerArc survey. Yet, 86% of companies think negative online ratings are unfair, rather than a sign that changes are needed.
The best defense, here, is a good offense, Chris Carlson, president at Sales Talent, previously told HR Dive. He suggests that companies take the time to encourage star employees to share their experiences on these websites. “If you just let Glassdoor work organically, the person most likely to post is the upset person," Carlson said. "Get proactive about encouraging star happy people to write an authentic review. Remember, A-players want to work with A-players.”
And while employers might see negative online ratings as unfair, it might pay to take the concerns seriously and work on correcting practices that disengage workers, impede productivity and ultimately raise turnover rates.
