Your job isn’t to hide those reviews. Own them, improve them, and let them reflect the workplace you’re building.
You wouldn’t drop $400 on a new phone without checking the reviews first. So why would someone commit 40 hours a week to a job without doing the same?
Job seekers treat career decisions like major purchases. They research, compare, and weigh their options before ever clicking ‘apply.’ 86% of applicants read a company’s reviews before deciding to apply. They’re checking your website, stalking your socials, and digging into your reviews: the good, the bad, and the unhinged.
Glassdoor is where candidates go to size you up, and your profile is already saying something. The only question is whether it’s helping or hurting. Let’s make sure it’s working for your hiring efforts, not against them.
Why Glassdoor Reviews Matter (Even If You’re Ignoring Them)
For many candidates, employee reviews are their first real look at your company culture. Research shows people trust employee feedback three times more than leadership messaging.
They’re not expecting a perfect 5-star rating. They’re looking for honesty, responsiveness, and signs that someone is paying attention.
Here’s what they actually care about:
- What it is really like to work there, not just what your careers page says
- Work-life balance, or the lack of it
- Transparency around pay and benefits
- How leadership communicates
- Whether there’s room to grow
Don’t Think You Have a Glassdoor Page? You Probably Do.
There’s a good chance your company already has a Glassdoor profile, even if you didn’t create it. Current or former employees can start one, which means your brand might already be out there without your input.
If the page exists, claim it through Glassdoor’s employer tools so you can manage what’s shown and take part in the narrative being told. If it doesn’t, create one before someone else does.
Once it’s yours, you can:
- Add company info, logos, and images that reflect your brand
- Post jobs and manage your employer profile
- Respond to reviews (yes, even the spicy ones)
- Set alerts so you’re never caught off guard
An outdated Glassdoor profile is like showing up to an interview with a resume from 2011. Keep it current by regularly updating:
- Your company description and mission
- Benefits and perks that employees care about
- DEI initiatives and employee resource groups
- Awards or recognition that highlight your impact
Candidates want to see the people behind the brand. Even small touches, like celebrating team wins or spotlighting employee milestones, help bring your culture to life. Don’t wait for a perfect 5-star rating. Start where you are, own the story, and build something worth showing off.
How to Respond to Reviews Like a Grown-Up
Before you do anything else, get a clear picture of where you stand. Start by auditing your Glassdoor profile:
- Total number of reviews
- Overall rating
- How recent the reviews are
- CEO approval score
- “Would recommend to a friend” rating
Next, read every review. Yes, even the ones that make you cringe. Ignoring them won’t make them disappear. You can’t control what people write, but you can control how you respond. And how you respond often says more than the review itself. If the same issues keep coming up, that’s not a coincidence. It’s a signal worth paying attention to.
Then check your past responses. Do they sound like a real person or a copy-pasted PR line? A solid reply strikes the right balance between empathy and accountability.
A good response should:
- Thank them for the feedback, even if it’s hard to hear.
- Start by acknowledging any positives, then address the criticism.
- Respond clearly and directly, without getting defensive.
- Professional doesn’t mean robotic. Sound like you care.
- Share any relevant changes or plans for improvement.
Do say:
“Thanks for the feedback. We’re glad your training experience started strong. We know last-minute scheduling changes are frustrating, but they’re sometimes necessary due to how project needs shift. We’re working to improve communication and appreciate your flexibility.”
Don’t say:
“We try our best to schedule as needed. Sorry if this wasn’t the experience you were looking for.”
The first response shows accountability and explains the context. The other sounds dismissive.
How to Encourage More Reviews (Without Being Weird About It)
The more reviews you have, the clearer the picture of your workplace. If your profile only has a few reviews, you’re not showing candidates the full story. So how do you get more reviews without sounding desperate?
- Ask at natural moments: after onboarding wraps up, a major project ends, or during offboarding if someone’s leaving on good terms.
- Make feedback part of your culture, not a one-time push.
- Share review links where it feels natural, like in internal newsletters or HR platforms.
- Never offer incentives, edit reviews, or tell people what to say. It kills trust and might violate Glassdoor’s terms.
Make Glassdoor Part of Your Employer Brand, Not Just a Checkbox
Your Glassdoor presence can do much more.
Positive reviews can be repurposed in recruiting materials, onboarding content, or social media posts to give candidates an authentic look at what it’s like to work at your company. Even better, the feedback, whether good or bad, can become a tool for improving your internal culture.
When a candidate brings up a negative review during an interview, the goal isn’t to deflect—it’s to demonstrate growth. Being able to say, “Yes, that was a real issue. Here’s what we learned, and here’s what we’ve changed,” shows maturity, accountability, and a commitment to continuous improvement. That kind of transparency doesn’t scare candidates away but builds trust and signals that your company listens, learns, and evolves.
The Bottom Line: Don’t Avoid the Conversation
Your company reputation already exists in the minds of everyone who’s ever worked for you, whether you engage with it or not. Glassdoor just makes it visible. Your job isn’t to hide those reviews. Own them, improve them, and let them reflect the workplace you’re building.
The goal isn’t to game the system for a perfect 5-star rating. It’s to get an honest sample of employee experiences that gives candidates the real picture.
Want to make your employer brand work harder for your recruiting efforts? First Ascent can help you develop a Glassdoor strategy that attracts top talent while staying true to who you are. Let’s talk!