We uncover how reviews give you an inside look into what a company’s culture looks like, and how to use those employer reviews to effectively drive workplace changes that promote a healthier environment.
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To get a sense of belonging and purpose at work, we need to find meaning in what we do. Why did you join the company? What do you like about working there? It can be tough to feel a sense of belonging in our workplaces when we feel like we don’t fit in. And employers are recognizing this fact. From company culture to employer reviews, being able to connect with our fellow employees is important.
In this blog post, we will cover how these reviews can give you an inside look into what a company’s culture looks like, and how to use those employer reviews to effectively drive workplace changes that promote a healthier environment.
Just like how smart restaurants use customer reviews to enhance the dining experience, so can companies effectively use employer reviews to improve company culture. Positive reviews are always great to see, but it’s the reviews that point out potential problems and opportunities that can be more impactful.
For example, many employees may be willing to give positive employer reviews because they believe it may benefit their job security. That’s not to say you should take positive reviews with a grain of salt because they can be an example of what your company is doing right.
Negative reviews from disgruntled former employees, on the other hand, can serve to show what your company is doing wrong. While some negative reviews may be left by toxic former employees with a grudge against the company, sometimes they may truly contain valid concerns that can help improve company culture.
According to JobSage, unconscious biases remain alive in the workplace, and taking steps to identify them will open up new opportunities for company growth.
Relying on your HR department to diagnose and remedy toxic workplace behaviors doesn’t fully address the problem, which is bound to be larger than just a single disgruntled employee. The key is to engage in frequent communications with employees to receive feedback on how the company is doing and identify ways to improve.
The paradigm shift to socially-aware corporations has not been easy to handle for many companies that pride themselves on being conservative and take a zero-tolerance approach toward employee issues. But it’s become imperative to align company values with your employee’s social values, in large part due to social media influence.
Take for example the viral controversy earlier this year involving Basecamp, after the CEO wrote an internal memo banning political discussion from the workplace. This was largely received, by both employees and the public alike, as stifling inclusivity and social awareness.
Over 20 employees quit their jobs at Basecamp, including upper-level management employees, which is over a third of the company’s employee base.
While your company may (hopefully) not find itself in the same hot water, employer reviews are one way that toxic workplace cultures are regularly exposed on social media, giving both employees and the public the opportunity to anonymously share their experiences and reach a larger, more influential audience.
Current employees who read negative company reviews may be more likely to rethink their future with the company, and job applicants will think twice before applying for a position if they’re put off by negative employer reviews.
This in turn will certainly impact your company’s bottomline, as word of mouth or social media buzz can be a major deterrent in filling positions and, ultimately, lowering employee retention and increasing turnover rates.
While human resources teams have traditionally been the final arbiters in workplace issues, it’s clear that with the rise of employer reviews, and technology enabling them to be widely viewed online, a top-down approach to company values needs to be implemented.
All levels of management, from CEOs to team leaders, should be given the training to understand and react to employee concerns, including modern social awareness values of inclusiveness, respect, and diversity. If the company is failing to embrace those values, it’s important to proactively address the problem.
Your employees need to be empowered to speak up, which will cause them to be more invested in your company. In fact, they may even feel more personally connected to your company, which may make them more loyal and stay longer.
Making company culture and inclusion part of the hiring and onboarding process is another way to ensure that your employees are up to speed on what your company stands for, what’s acceptable, and what’s expected of them. But again, this needs to be a top-down approach, so your management needs to not only talk the talk but walk the walk.
Having a socially aware workplace culture is only one part of an employee satisfaction strategy. You should still regularly conduct team-building exercises, provide engaging work and pay packages, and offer growth opportunities for your employees.
Overall though, taking employer reviews into careful consideration is a good place to start figuring out where focus is needed on making improvements to your company’s internal operations and values, and where adjustments are needed to keep your company moving forward.
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