The first thing that disgruntled employees usually do after leaving your company is visit Glassdoor and leave a negative review. Why? Because they know your future employees will be looking at your reputation before applying. Learning how to remove Glassdoor reviews solves this issue.
But the truth is, you can’t remove all defamatory reviews. If it really is your fault, then your best bet is to manage your reputation.
After all, the name Glassdoor itself suggests that employees will get a transparent glimpse into your company. So, if you want to attract the right people, you have to use the right reputation management strategies.
While this might seem overwhelming right now, it won’t be so hard after reading this article. So, let’s start with the basics first.
Why Should You Care About Removing Glassdoor Reviews?
It’s not just companies that do a background check on the people they hire. Job seekers also want to know the reputation of the business they’re applying to.
They want to know how you treat your staff and what type of environment they’ll be working in.
When it comes to getting this information, Glassdoor is their first choice. It’s a platform where employees can share their opinions about your company. Moreover, candidates can get various insights, such as the salaries you offer. This site can tell a lot about your workplace’s culture.
If former employees have negative views about your business, you might have a hard time recruiting new members. It may even sabotage your reputation among your customers.
In fact, a rise of one star in a company’s Glassdoor rating can bring 1.3% more customer satisfaction.
Think about it. Your employees are the ones interacting with the customers. If you give them a good experience, they’ll return it to your customers.
Plus, when negative reviews discourage job seekers from applying to your company, it can also disrupt your daily business operations. Therefore, you cannot ignore your Glassdoor reputation.
How To Remove Negative Glassdoor Reviews?
Now that you know what bad reviews can do to your reputation, it’s time to start dealing with them.
The focus word here is “dealing” because you can’t always remove negative reviews. This is similar to removing fake reviews from Google. If they are legit, your chances of removing them are low. With Glassdoor, if the reviewer’s opinion is true and you really are at fault, it would be hard to remove them.
People have the right to know both the good and bad sides of working at your company. That’s why Glassdoor only removes reviews that go against its terms of service or community guidelines.
But don’t worry, you can still take action. There are two answers to the question, “How to remove negative Glassdoor reviews?”
First, if you find a defamatory review that can sabotage your reputation, you can contact the reviewer directly. Politely ask them to take it down, explaining why you think it’s a false review. But this strategy rarely works, so your best bet is to flag the review as inappropriate. Here’s how.
- Start by finding the review in question.
- Click on the “flag” button.
- Choose a reason for flagging the review, or write your own.
- Click on “Submit” so Glassdoor can review your submission.
If Glassdoor finds the review genuine and you face trouble because of it, you can also consider taking legal action. It might cost you money, but it will save your reputation, which will save you money in the long run.
How To Deal With a Negative Review on Glassdoor if You Can’t Remove It?
Did you know that about 62% of job seekers think highly of companies that respond to employee reviews? It shows that you care about the people who work or used to work for you.
Plus, it’s a way of dealing with negative reviews when you can’t remove them. It’s a chance to build your case and show potential employees that you care.
The effect of solving the issue and compensating for your mistake in the response may even surpass positive reviews. But to achieve this, you must know how to respond to negative Glassdoor reviews effectively.
Step #1: Relax and Read the Review Carefully
It’s only natural to feel anger when you come across negative feedback on Glassdoor. But showing that anger when responding to the review will only invite more trouble for your company.
Here, your response might seem defensive. Your aim is to make onlookers trust you. But when you show anger and defend yourself by passing the blame, even the ones who trust you will stop.
Therefore, your first step is to relax and take a deep breath. It might even be a good idea to step away and distract your mind.
Once you’re neutral and ready to understand the reviewer’s perspective, come back and read the review carefully. This will help you analyze the situation better and see if it’s really your fault.
Step #2: Learn About the Employee’s Work History
Once you’ve understood the issue, look into the reviewer’s work history with you. This will provide you with some context into the behavior and psyche of the reviewer.
Find out who they worked under and ask them if the employee complained about the issue during their employment. It would be a good idea to go through the exit interview and see if the employee mentioned anything there.
If you find that they have complained about the issue, your team is at fault here. In this case, apologize to the reviewer and try to provide a feasible compensation.
But if you find that your team has never heard about the problem, the reviewer might be framing you. The principles here are similar to responding to bad reviews on Google.
In this case, your response can be something like this.
“Thank you for taking the time to share your experience. We’re sorry for any dissatisfaction you faced.
However, it’s surprising to hear your feedback, considering your positive experience with us in the past. Regardless, I would like to invite you for a detailed meeting to explain the aspects that troubled you.
As a founder, I’ll make sure to look into your matter myself and solve this issue.”
Nonetheless, Glassdoor reviews are anonymous, and it might be hard to find who posted the review. In this case, you can talk to your manager and discuss the general issues that employees face. By doing this, you’ll be able to see if the issue in the review is genuine or not. As a result, you can reply accordingly.
But not all negative reviews are fake. If you’re getting a lot of them mentioning the same issue, it’s time to make improvements and show genuine commitment.
Step #3: Stay Positive, Empathize, and Provide Context
Sometimes, negative reviews are the result of misunderstandings. You might find it frustrating to explain yourself and solve miscommunications. But the key here is to stay positive and empathize with the reviewer.
See where they’re coming from and assure them that you understand their issues. Write the response in a way that reminds the reviewer of your mission, values, and aims. If you take measures to make sure your employees are happy, mention that.
Next, explain how your actions relate to your values to help the reviewer understand your viewpoint. This context may help them realize that they’ve taken it too far and encourage them to take the review down.
Moreover, it can provide onlookers with the complete picture instead of just the reviewer’s opinion.
In fact, you should do this while you’re still their employer to avoid negative reviews altogether.
Employees are scared to share their issues while they’re working. So it’s a good idea to maintain a healthy relationship with them and encourage them to share their concerns.
Can Companies Remove Glassdoor Reviews?
Now that you know how to remove and deal with negative reviews, let’s jump to another important issue. Nowadays, it seems like a company exists for the smallest of tasks.
The same goes for negative review removal. So, can companies remove Glassdoor reviews?
Well, if you’re planning to outsource your complete online reputation management to a trusted company, you’re on the right path.
But, if you only hire them to remove reviews, you might be wasting your money. This is because they’ll use the same methods mentioned in this article. Why give them your money when you can do it yourself?
Plus, these companies sometimes buy fake positive reviews to balance out the negative ones. This is unethical, and you might even find yourself facing legal action. In some instances, fake reviews are illegal. Therefore, beware of what you do.
So, while it’s a good idea to let professionals handle your online reputation, don’t trust companies guaranteeing review removal.
Can You Pay To Remove Glassdoor Reviews?
Just like most local review sites, Glassdoor doesn’t remove all reviews, even if they’re fake or defamatory. If the review doesn’t violate their terms, you’re out of luck.
In such cases, people also ask, “Can you pay to remove Glassdoor reviews?” If the same question is on your mind, the answer is no.
Glassdoor has clearly mentioned that it does not accept money to remove reviews. They position themselves as a reliable source for job seekers to find out more about the company.
This is why they don’t let employers only display the reviews they like and remove the ones they don’t. If they give control to the employers, job seekers will stop trusting them, and they will lose business.
Therefore, it’s better to stop going after the wrong techniques. Instead, focus on responding to feedback, regardless of the review type. Yes, you should also respond to positive reviews to show gratitude.
Manage Your Glassdoor Reputation To Attract More Employees
By now, you must have a strong idea about how to remove Glassdoor reviews. All you really need to do is flag the defamatory or fake review. Glassdoor will remove it if it violates their terms of service.
Alternatively, you can respond to negative reviews and solve the problem, especially if you’re at fault. And remember, Glassdoor doesn’t accept payment to remove reviews. So, don’t rely on unethical ways, as they can even bring you down on the search engine.
If you run a local business and want to automate your marketing effort, try out Beambox. It’s a WiFi marketing platform that streamlines your operations and lets you secure your WiFi. Start your free trial today!
Get Started With Free WiFi Marketing
Beambox helps businesses like yours grow with data capture, marketing automation and reputation management.
Sign up for 30 days free
