Why and How You Should Be Using Glassdoor Glassdoor for Employers
SAP Glassdoor

Why and How You Should Be Using Glassdoor

I first heard about Glassdoor back in 2015, when I was still very new to SAP’s Global Employer Branding team. After it was explained to me what Glassdoor was, and how it was not only a jobs site, but essentially “like TripAdvisor for candidates in their job search”, I saw the immense potential SAP could have on this channel. We had a completely blank slate in front us where we could build SAP's presence and strategy on Glassdoor from scratch.

Branding our pages on Glassdoor was easy. We had tons of materials to showcase including office & employee photos, Life at SAP videos, awards and links to our social media and open jobs. Furthermore, we made use of the additional global pages that Glassdoor offers, so we customised each one for each location available. Once our pages looked ready for us to share, it was time to spread the message internally to request employee reviews. Getting as many reviews as possible from as many different locations and departments is vital to a best-in-class Glassdoor strategy because only then will you be able to get the most accurate portrayal of what it’s like to work at your company. Having 5 reviews from one location, for example, isn’t enough to give candidates a realistic picture of what they can expect working there, nor is it enough for management to gain useful insight into employee sentiment.

A platform like Glassdoor fits perfectly in line with SAP’s global “tell it like it is” behavioural strategy. But with almost 90,000 employees comprised of over 130 nationalities worldwide, we had a large audience to communicate to about this platform. We knew many employees and managers around the world had never heard about Glassdoor and we would be sure to encounter some resistance when persuading some locations to encourage their employees to log on and leave a review. Therefore, we needed to be smart at how we communicated the message and show them what the benefits of using Glassdoor are for all stakeholders.

  • For candidates:  Glassdoor offers candidates a chance to look for jobs and read authentic and transparent reviews from employees currently and formerly employed in an organisation. Years ago, candidates could only find out what it was like to work at a company if they happened to know someone there. Through Glassdoor, candidates suddenly have hundreds or thousands of reviews they can read. 
  • For employees: Staying in line with SAP’s global “tell it like it is” behavioural strategy, employees are encouraged to leave a review on Glassdoor so they have a permanent channel to voice their opinions. We take all reviews seriously and are open to hearing what our employees have to say throughout the year regardless of when our Employee Survey is released. Employees also feel empowered that their voice has the potential to be heard by thousands of viewers and can make the difference in a candidate’s journey whether or not SAP is the place for them. 
  • For HR & Management: An involved HR and management department who regularly monitors the company’s performance on Glassdoor is setting itself up for success. Glassdoor allows employees to provide ratings and feedback for career opportunities, learning & development, senior management, compensation & benefits, and company culture. Glassdoor allows HR and management to understand employee sentiment and what employees are saying in their locations so they can always be on the lookout for opportunities for improvement. 
  • For Recruiters: Recruiters can post jobs and should regularly read interview reviews so they can gain some valuable feedback from the candidates’ experience and be open for tips to improve. 
  • For Branding: The Glassdoor Employer Centre displays deep and beneficial statistics for each country, such as amount of reviews, number of visits and what the ratings are for Glassdoor’s various categories. Branding departments can come up with customised strategies based on internal and external needs.

Once our Glassdoor strategy at SAP was ready to get going, we only had to begin reaching out across our company to spread awareness of this initiative. Working with HR, management, communications and other departments around the world over the course of two and a half years, SAP increased its score on Glassdoor from a 3.7 to 4.4, doubled its amount of reviews, doubled the amount of page views, tripled its followers and placed on 5/5 Glassdoor “2018 Best Places to Work” lists, making it one of the most successful companies on Glassdoor. Throughout the whole campaign, which is still ongoing and developing, these five “best practices” have always kept our focus and are tips I would recommend to any company thinking of starting their own campaign on Glassdoor:

1. Think Globally

Think Glassdoor is just a US or North American platform? Think again! Nearly half of our traffic to the SAP page on Glassdoor comes from outside North America. Once SAP offices around the world learn this, they are suddenly very eager to begin promoting Glassdoor as a tool to encourage employees in their countries to leave reviews. Make use of all the country pages Glassdoor offers and be sure to customise them accordingly. Include photos and videos of the location, post company updates in the local language and engage your offices in those countries to ensure your content is culturally appropriate.

2. Manage Your Statistics Closely

Following on to “thinking globally”, keep a record of all the statistics Glassdoor provides you for each country. Glassdoor provides information in the Employer Centre on a local level about senior management, work-life balance, culture & values, career opportunities and what percentage of employees would recommend the company. Filter them by country on a monthly basis and keep track of how many new reviews you’re getting and the local analytics. If you start seeing any discrepancies, you’ll know how to target a tailored plan of action for a certain location.

3. Take Reviews Seriously

Look at every review as a personalised email and respond. Thank the reviewer for their feedback, answer their question(s) if they have any, point them in the right direction for tools and further engagement and ensure management is regularly updated on employee reviews.

4. Make Use of All Media Opportunities on the Site

Regularly update your header banners and include an embedded video to showcase your company. Rotate your banners on a regular basis and always add new photos and content to keep your pages fresh. If your company wins awards, you have space to showcase them on your Glassdoor page. Include embedded photos and videos in your “Why Work For Us” sections too.

  1.      Keep a Steady Flow of “Company Updates”

Like a Facebook wall or Twitter feed, Glassdoor lets you post “Company Updates”, where you can share news, link to blogs and other media or share something special with your audience. Your followers are hungry for content from you so by regularly posting “Company Updates”, such as weekly, for example, they’ll be updated as soon as you release it and you’ll see your follower base grow.

Don’t think though that just by implementing these best practices your company’s rating will skyrocket. If employees are consistently leaving you negative reviews, don’t look at it like a “Glassdoor problem”. Rather, investigate where is the disconnect in your company’s career opportunities, culture, senior management, etc. Glassdoor is a transparent platform for employee reviews, so by listening to the employees and improving upon what is missing in their eyes, only then will you see your overall scores begin to rise.

Most importantly, don’t forget about the incredible staff at Glassdoor. Your account managers, client service managers and technical support managers are there for you. They are a competent and helpful team of amazing individuals who want to see your success. Schedule trainings with them, initiate a monthly call to stay up-to-date on the latest features of the platform, ask them questions. Make sure you know the Glassdoor platform inside and out. Working together, you too can achieve incredible things on Glassdoor.

Learn More & Download

Glassdoor for Dummies

Everything you need to know about Glassdoor and how to leverage it to gain a competitive edge.