In this day and age, opinions circulate on social media like wildfire. This means it’s easier than ever for potential employees to find out what it’s like to work at a company with a quick glimpse. But what do they see when they look at your company?
The prevalence of online reviews from current and future employees means you need to make sure you stand out in a positive way. This holds especially true today – with the unemployment rate at just 3.6%, talented employees have numerous options.
But what can you do to make sure your company stands out from the crowd?
Take Charge of Your Online Reputation
What are people saying about your organization on websites such as Glassdoor and Indeed? Social media platforms are often the first place candidates turn to learn about a company, so you can’t afford to dismiss your online reputation.
- Do a deep audit of your reputation. Comb through your entire website and social media platforms, examining every piece of content that projects an image of your workplace environment. Look through old blog and social media posts. Check the search results for your company to see what turns up. Then, remove material that no longer shares the current face of your brand.
- Prompt satisfied employees to write online reviews. People who have negative feedback are much more likely to leave reviews, which means you need to get proactive about seeking positive feedback.
- Share some personality. Create videos that show what it’s truly like to work for your company, through employee testimonials and shots of people performing various job roles. Have your CEO talk about the company’s mission, core values, and brand to help candidates envision what it’s like to be part of the team. When people like and admire the individuals who lead your organization, they’ll feel more compelled to join you.
- Use strong SEO techniques to boost the rankings of the content that projects your desired image. Write new blog posts using keywords that sum up those qualities. If you’ve found content on other websites that doesn’t create the image you want to project and can’t be removed, the best way to address it is by pushing it further down the search results. Place new blog posts, videos, and other positive material about your current brand in the spotlight.
Gauge the Pulse of Your Organization
Don’t just focus on what’s happening out there – look at what’s happening inside your walls, too. That’s what creates your online reputation.
- Collect anonymous feedback from your employees via surveys. Use third-party software that guarantees anonymity to encourage honesty.
- Prompt managers to have one-on-one interviews with their employees to solicit ideas for improvement. It doesn’t have to be formal – invite them to have coffee or lunch as they share their input. This will help make them feel valued.
- If you identify a particular area in need of improvement, consider holding a focus group discussion. Gather a group of employees together to brainstorm. You might hold it as a fishbowl-style discussion that a couple of managers listen to but don’t participate in, taking notes.
Remember, satisfaction is not just about salary – according to Glassdoor, 80% of employees would prefer additional benefits to a pay increase.
Continue seeking feedback from employees to boost engagement and satisfaction even after you’ve addressed a pressing problem. “Companies with a formal engagement strategy in place are 67% more likely to improve their revenue per full-time equivalent on a year-over-year basis,” Glassdoor notes.
Take Action!
Now that you have answers, it’s time to take concrete steps to put them into practice. Listening without acting could escalate frustrations, while decisive action shows you truly care about employees’ input and experience.
- Strive to support your employees by meeting the needs they have voiced. Whether they want more flexible working arrangements or managers who don’t micromanage, create a plan and a timeline for achieving that objective. Communicate the steps that need to be taken to reach the goal so that they know the wheels are in motion. Whether you can implement the change immediately or need to convene a meeting of senior leaders first, your employees will know they’ve been heard.
- Address criticism as soon as possible, responding to critical posts online. Replying to genuine criticism goes a long way toward framing your company in a positive light. You may not have the answer yet, but you can let people know that you’ve heard them.
- Produce a company video that brands you in exactly the way you want to appear to prospective employees. Highlight interviews with employees who love their jobs.
That’s the recipe for standing out online. In a nutshell: show employees you care, listen to their input, and take action by publishing posts, podcasts, and videos that frame your company in exactly the way you want candidates to see it! Follow those steps, and you’ll develop a reputation for excellence and recruit the most qualified candidates for your organization.
