Looking for a new job after being laid off? Did you lose a job due to redundancy or perhaps a company restructure? Researching a possible employer may help make your “dream job” come to fruition, but aside from information such as, how many employees and gross earnings; items easily accessible on the Internet, etc.; wouldn’t it be wonderful to know a bit of the inside information about the company?
Glassdoor is a website that can provide those to users. Search for a company and see the ratings and reviews by current and past employees, anonymous salary information, and other candid comments that create a company profile.
An account is required to see much of the information, but it is free to sign up and there are no fees associated with it. The reviewers are asked if they would recommend the company at the close of their review. Reading through them can give the user a glimpse into the practices and culture of the company.
This site is a great resource for jobseekers and even companies themselves. The reason it can offer something for everyone is the fact that it is driven by “employee generated content”, which can yield honest and heartfelt thoughts about a company. While this can be useful for an employee who is being interviewed, it can also possibly present challenges for the company’s reputation and brand.
The power of this website rests in the information offered, but since it comes from actual employees, the perspective is theirs, both the good and the bad. This is why it is a site for companies to pay attention to, especially as employees are laid off from a restructure or downturn. If the outgoing employee is angry at the company for her termination, then the review may not be complimentary. One such review may have a negligible effect on the company brand, but if the downturn has separated several employees who share their frustrations, anger and negative remarks, there is potential for great damage for the company’s brand.
Another feature of Glassdoor is that the company may also add information to the website, so there is a place to counteract the negative comments and attempt to repair the damage to the brand. It is the immediacy of the Internet and its world-wide reach that can make websites such as Glassdoor one to bookmark for companies so that they can monitor what is being said about their company. However, perhaps the bigger take-away is that the company should consider how their termination practices are handled.
If employees feel as though they are respected and cared for in the process, then the reviews after the separation may not hold the same venom for the company.
Maintaining a healthy brand takes monitoring and response at times, but the way employees are treated while employed and upon their exit can be one of the most critical aspects of protecting a brand. Glassdoor provides a candid glimpse into a company. So, the question becomes: what do you see through it?
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Learn more about Greg Weiss here.
