Dive Brief:

• Millennials are now being called the Glassdoor generation because they are increasingly turning to company review websites before applying for work opportunities. This is not surprising, given the transparency that’s promoted by online resources and mobile apps where candidates and employees alike can share their experiences – good or bad.  

• “In the past couple of years, we’ve become a nation of review led consumers – we make our own purchasing decisions based on the experiences, opinions and thoughts of other consumers”, says Siofra Pratt, a Digital Marketing Executive at Social Talent, contributes to ERE Media –SourceCon. She talked with DaFoxall of HRMS World, who adds that, “Employers are increasingly finding that their employees (and ex-employees) are not only heard, but listened to”.

• Online reviews have a big impact on decisions made about companies. According to recent research, 90% of consumers take the time to read online reviews before they visit a business, and 88% trust online reviews left by ordinary people as much as they trust personal recommendations. 

Dive Insight:

The candidate experience has come to the forefront of company recruitment efforts, with the increasing reliance on review sites that share previously secret details of the application, interview, and onboarding processes as well as the perspective of employees on the job. Nowadays, employees can write scathing reviews of their employers with relative anonymity and there are no repercussions. Their opinions influence the career decisions of others, who may shy away from a company known for negative recruitment practices or low pay.

Companies that consistently receive negative reviews should heed this as a sign that there is room for improvement. Experts support transparency in recruitment as a way to offset negative comments.

Employers can take the steps that Pratt outlines in her article to improve the candidate and employee experience. These steps include treating employees like they would customers, take steps to make the experience of applying for work more candidate-centric, and keeping on top of social media murmurs about the company at all times. Some other steps that any company can take are to encourage employees to share their positive experiences on company review sites, and respond promptly to complaints internally before they end up on Glassdoor and other review sources.