As an employer with open positions to fill, your goal should be to make the idea of working for your company as appealing as possible. As such, you might sink a fair amount of time into writing a compelling ad, developing an attractive job description, and establishing a salary range that’s more than competitive. But if you’ve doing all of that and still aren’t getting many (quality) takers, it could be because of one single factor: bad reviews.
These days, there are a number of job sites that allow employees to post anonymous reviews about the companies they work for. These reviews, in turn, give potential candidates strong insight that can inform their decisions on accepting offers. In fact, many job seekers rely on those reviews in the absence of having a contact at the firms they’re looking to work at. But if your company reviews are predominantly negative, that’s a good way to send candidates running.
In fact, in a recent survey by Jobvite, 22% of job candidates pre-emptively rejected a prospective employer after reading negative reviews online. And it makes sense. Why would anyone want to work for a company whose employees are overwhelmingly miserable?
If you’re looking to attract talent, it pays to read your own company’s reviews and see what employees are saying. And then take steps to address those issues before you not only lose more prospective candidates, but also internal folks as well.
The writing is on the wall — or computer screen
Many employees refrain from complaining to their managers because they don’t want to come off as whiny or unappreciative. But that doesn’t mean they’re satisfied, either. In fact, more than half of Americans today identify as being unhappy at work, and while that often boils down to lackluster compensation and persistent pressure, for many, it’s about not feeling respected or valued.
Since there are a host of reasons why your employees might feel dissatisfied with their working conditions, it pays to take the time to read what they’re saying. Maybe a lot of folks feel that the demands of your management team are unreasonable. Maybe they’re sick of working long hours, constantly logging on at night, and struggling to achieve a decent work-life balance.
Or maybe your management team’s expectations are practical, but there are other issues at play. It could be that your benefits stink, or that there’s no upward mobility for the majority of workers who end up employed at your company. The possibilities are many, so comb through those reviews, determine what’s irking your workers the most, and take steps to improve in those areas.
For example, if employees are being pressured to work long hours on a consistent basis, try investing in technology that makes them more efficient so they’re not quite as chained to their desks. Or, rework your budget to increase your head count and get more hands on deck.
If your workers aren’t happy with their benefits, aim to do better. Research different health insurance plans and 401(k)s, and pledge to be less stingy with your paid time off.
Like it or not, it’s easy enough for job candidates to gain insight as to what it means to work for your company, and if the impression they’re getting is a negative one, they’re going to take their talent elsewhere. So don’t let that happen. Read those reviews and pledge to address the concerns they unearth. It’s a great way to not only attract strong applicants, but also prevent your most valued workers from jumping ship.
