Using Glassdoor to boost your employment reputation

QSR leaders are becoming increasingly interested in employer review websites to ensure their reputation is held in high regard amongst job seekers.

From a human resources perspective, businesses—restaurants included—are built on the genuine level of satisfaction or dissatisfaction of employees with their employers. No amount of employment-related advertising can change the reality of the boots-on-the-ground experience of employees. Because of this, it’s imperative that leaders strive to build the employment aspect of their brand authentically by maintaining a culture of employee appreciation. 

QSR employees are using Glassdoor

More and more employees in the QSR space are flocking to Glassdoor to leave reviews. These first-hand reviews reflect employee happiness and satisfaction—showing what it’s really like to work for your business.

While the idea of receiving candid feedback from your employees on Glassdoor may be somewhat unsettling due to its public nature, there are also many benefits.

The benefits of employee reviews on Glassdoor

An effective way to establish a strong reputation as a great QSR to work for is through your employee reviews. A positive review from an employee goes further than you might think. It’s easy for employees to air out their frustrations on a review site, but for someone to take the time to express their genuine appreciation for their employer—that takes a lot of intention, often driven by a deeply meaningful experience.

Employees often take to Glassdoor reviews when they want to be heard. So, as a leader, Glassdoor reviews can provide you with an objective view into your company culture. This objectivity will allow you to gauge if your employees’ experiences are in line with your organization’s culture and aspirations—and empower you to make changes if and as needed.  

Let’s take a closer look at four specific benefits of employee reviews on Glassdoor:

1. Employee morale

One of the best ways to boost the morale of your hourly workforce is to invite them to leave reviews on Glassdoor. By encouraging your employees to leave reviews, you’re making it clear that their opinion is valued. When employees feel valued, team morale increases.

2. Employee insights

When employees use a third-party review website such as Glassdoor, they are more likely to be genuine with their feedback. It removes a layer of fear caused by the possible repercussions of sharing the feedback directly with their managers. The genuine nature of Glassdoor feedback allows QSR leaders to gain a more accurate understanding of the day-to-day experience of their employees. This increased transparency allows managers to make better decisions about the future of company culture.

3. Prospective candidates

When prospective candidates read transparent reviews of your restaurant on Glassdoor, they get a better sense of what it’s really like to work at your organization. When candidates feel they truly understand your brand and store culture from an employment perspective, they are more likely to show up to the interview more engaged and eager to land the job.

4. Balance

Glassdoor asks that all employees provide both positive and negative feedback. The results? A balanced review that helps job seekers see all the great and the areas for improvement. Every employer has strengths and weaknesses, and by openly showing that to your candidates, you’re giving them the opportunity to see whether the job is a fit—and even a glimpse into the areas they could come in and immediately make an impact. 

While there are many benefits to receiving reviews on Glassdoor, there is one main challenge facing QSRs on Glassdoor: Getting employees to leave reviews.

Best practices for getting more Glassdoor reviews

Getting your employees to leave feedback about your restaurant on Glassdoor isn’t always easy. Most reviews left on Glassdoor without prompting by the employer are either extremely positive or extremely negative. If you don’t encourage your employees to leave reviews, you’re not likely to get reviews that are fully balanced and accurate.

QSRs that receive a lot of balanced reviews on Glassdoor put considerable effort into implementing a review collection strategy. Here are four best practices QSRs are using to get as many balanced employee experience reviews on Glassdoor as possible:

1. Don’t overlook new hires

Your new hires often bring genuine enthusiasm to your organization. They can provide great reviews of your restaurant—especially once they complete their onboarding. As a leader, you should ask your new hires to leave Glassdoor reviews of their hiring and training experience, and then again after they’ve been on the job for 90 days (to update their review).

2. Train hiring managers to ask for reviews

Hiring managers are uniquely positioned to encourage employees to leave Glassdoor reviews. For example, when your team is undertaking a large hiring campaign, they can request reviews so that job candidates have accurate, trust-building information about your QSR’s culture. The best way to ensure that this practice remains a focus for hiring managers is by having them set a twice-yearly calendar reminder to request Glassdoor reviews from their employees.

3. Use review request templates

Glassdoor provides leaders with customizable email templates within their Glassdoor Employer Center Account. You can customize these email templates and send them to your employees in order to generate more reviews on Glassdoor. Glassdoor also provides shareable links that you can use in any digital channel that you choose. These shareable links prompt employees to start the Glassdoor review process when clicked.

4. Request Glassdoor reviews during employee performance reviews

QSRs are using employee performance review meetings as an opportunity to ask for Glassdoor reviews. Performance review meetings are timely occasions to ask for reviews because of the relevancy of reflecting on the past year of employees’ experiences with your company. By asking for Glassdoor reviews in employee performance review meetings, you’re also showing your employees that you care as much about their feedback as you do your feedback on their job performance.

QSRs must respond to Glassdoor reviews promptly

Once leaders make the effort to generate balanced Glassdoor reviews, the reviews will start to come in. It’s vital that QSR leaders respond to all employee reviews on Glassdoor promptly. By responding to reviews promptly, you show your employees that you truly care and you show job seekers that you foster a positive culture they’ll want to join. Promptly responding to Glassdoor reviews also shows potential job candidates that your organization is responsive and values employees’ opinions. This responsiveness makes your restaurant more attractive to potential job candidates.

The process of creating and implementing a Glassdoor review generation strategy can be daunting at first. However, the effort pays off in the long term because of the positive impact it has on company culture and recruitment of future talent. 

If you’re ready to get going on your next hiring campaign, reach out to us today to learn how you can put our platform to work for your brand!