The impact of employee online reviews on companies’ work culture

Just as consumer reviews are essential for products and services, employee satisfaction surveys provide valuable feedback about a company’s brand.

Nowadays, thanks to online reputation sites, employees can leave anonymous company reviews and feedback on what it’s really like to be working at their company. This means that employees are no longer required to put up with bad working conditions.

This dialogue will help businesses grow and improve their services to meet customer and employee expectations in a better way.

The rise of online employee review website forums

There are now website forums where anyone can add their opinion and describe what it’s like to work in a particular place. This is a great way to accurately depict what it’s like to work somewhere without worrying about getting into trouble at work.

Some of these forums are set up so you can remain anonymous without having to log in. People who work in places that provide less-than-perfect conditions are often afraid to speak up, as they are scared of a backlash and other consequences.

Some working conditions are so bad that it even includes employees suffering verbal and psychological abuse. By having an anonymous platform, you can feel free to speak up and be sure that the online platforms will protect your security.

Why review the company you work for?

You don’t have to worry that your feedback will fall on deaf ears. It’s now commonplace for prospective employees to do as much research on the companies they apply to as those companies find out about them during the interview process.

So with the help of your feedback, you are allowing others to know whether your current workplace is somewhere they want to spend their time. And also whether they will be rewarded enough compensation for said time.

This is how you can help your employers look closely at their working conditions. By putting pressure on them, you could show them that they will be left behind if they don’t adapt.

How to deal with employee feedback as an employer

As an employer, if you want to learn what your employees think, reading these forums will give you a fair idea of what they may be thinking – perhaps more than you’re comfortable with.

However, you’ll find that while some employees will only go on the forums to express their dissatisfaction and anger, others will offer constructive feedback you can work on. And some even express their joy and gratitude for an excellent workplace.

You can gain real-time insight into the employee experience from an unprompted source when you ask for employee-generated reviews. This is an excellent way to get an accurate portrayal of how your employees feel, what their work experience is like, and what improvements can be made.

In future, one way you can use reviews is by using them to help you plan your campaigns for specific roles. For example, suppose you see that many reviewers mention “work-life balance” as a positive aspect. Then you could create online content that tells stories about how your organisation contributes to that goal.

Remember that your employees are your brand ambassadors, and if they’re not satisfied with their work conditions, it will reflect poorly on your company. Ignoring this crucial information can jeopardise your corporate brand.