5 Steps – How to Fix Negative Glassdoor Reviews

We’ve written extensively about Glassdoor in the past – Part 1, Part 2. For this blog, we wanted to share a more straightforward, 5-step guide on how to fix negative Glassdoor reviews. To give a benchmark, the average employer on Glassdoor in 2024 scored 3.78 stars (out of 5). This is up from 3.2 stars when we wrote our original pieces in 2015. Another thing that has increased since 2015 is the site’s impact on attracting and hiring A players, as more Glassdoor users rely on reviews to make informed decisions. Fortunately, cracking the code on Glassdoor is fairly straightforward. Read on to learn how to turn your Glassdoor Reviews into one of your company’s biggest hiring assets.

The quality of your online reputation (Glassdoor) determines the quality of your candidate pool.

Step 1: Claim Your Glassdoor Page.

The first step in fixing your Glassdoor ratings and reputation is taking ownership of your company’s Glassdoor page. There are 2.3M companies with reviews on Glassdoor but only a fraction have claimed their Glassdoor page. Claiming this page is as simple as finding your page, clicking on “Claim this company,” and following the prompts (shown below).

Once you have claimed your company page, you can add a bio about your company and update the facts in the overview. In addition, you can add your logo, upload up to 10 photos, and highlight any awards your company has won—all of these things you can do for free. Compare Sales Talent’s claimed page (below) to the unclaimed page above. Visually, there is no comparison.

The unclaimed page looks unloved, like the employer doesn’t get it or care. Don’t be that employer. Claim your page.

Step 2: Identify the Root Causes of Negative Reviews

To effectively manage negative reviews, companies must first identify the root causes of the negative feedback. This can be done by analyzing the comments and details provided in the reviews. Common themes or patterns may emerge, such as poor management, lack of opportunities for growth, or unsatisfactory working conditions. By understanding the underlying issues, companies can develop targeted strategies to address the problems and improve the overall work environment. For example, if multiple reviews mention poor communication from managers, the company may need to provide additional training or coaching to improve management skills. By addressing the root causes of negative reviews, companies can reduce the number of negative reviews and improve their overall reputation.

Step 3: Recruit Your Glassdoor Champion.

Step two in fixing your ratings is entrusting one person within your company to “own” Glassdoor. It’s their job to monitor and champion your Glassdoor page. Given the importance of Glassdoor, we suggest picking someone with enough authority and influence within your company to foster change. This is not a job for the intern. Think A Player. Your Glassdoor champion’s job starts with our next step – Show You Care.

Step 4: Develop a Response Strategy

You can respond to reviews once you are an “Engaged” employer (you’ve claimed your page). The company that we give as the best example of how to respond to reviews is Zillow. Below is a random review that shows Dan Spaulding, their Chief People Officer, getting several things right.

Here is what impresses us about Dan’s response:

1. Zillow is a 4,000+ employee company and a C level is personally responding to the review. Impressive!
2. The tone is positive.
3. He’s listening. His response comes across as genuine and engaged. To back that up, he’s given out his email address. How many C-level officers of 4,000+ employee companies do that?

If you take the time to look through Zillow’s reviews, you’ll see a winning formula for responding. As far as we can tell, it’s the formula above. On Glassdoor, there are multiple examples of their C level officers responding, including their CEO, Spencer Rascoff. Spencer is engaged, he cares and his desire to make Zillow a great workplace is authentic. The payoff? He’s been one of the  “Highest Rated CEOs” on Glassdoor for 2014, 2016, 2017 & 2018. Without question, having strong Glassdoor reviews and a CEO that cares dramatically increases Glassdoor’s ability to attract A players. This brings us to the 4th step, which Zillow also follows – Recruit Your A Players.

2025 update regarding Zillow. They have a new CEO and Glassdoor reviews are no longer a priority. Zillow has slipped from a Glassdoor score of 4.4 to 3.5 today.

Developing a response strategy is crucial for companies to address negative reviews and show that they value their employees’ feedback. A response strategy should include a plan for responding to negative reviews in a timely and professional manner. This can include acknowledging the reviewer’s concerns, apologizing for any mistakes, and providing a solution or explanation. Companies should also consider responding to positive reviews to show appreciation for their employees’ feedback and to encourage more positive reviews. By responding to reviews, companies can demonstrate their commitment to their employees and improve their reputation. It’s also essential to have a clear policy on how to respond to reviews, including who will respond, how quickly they will respond, and what tone they will use.

Step 5: Encourage Positive Reviews by Recruiting A Players

In the example above, Zillow had turned Glassdoor into a significant advantage in its recruiting wars. Accomplishing this requires nothing less than fully embracing Glassdoor. Yes, this is going to take some work. Fortunately, the formula is simple. Before we explain, allow us to take you on a tangent. As previously mentioned, Zillow no longer makes Glassdoor a priority and has allowed their average review to drop from a 4.4 in 2018 to a 3.5 in 2025. Over the past 5 years, Zillow’s stock, which is listed on the NASDAQ, has risen by 68% (as of 5/15/2025). During that same timeframe, the NASDAQ has grown by 124.66%. It takes A players to outperform the marketplace and their stock performance and drop in Glassdoor ratings suggests that they are losing the talent war.

This brings us to the A Players at your company. A players want to work with and for other A players. In our experience, nothing frustrates A players more than working with C players. With the support of your Head of HR or your CEO, your Glassdoor champion needs to reach out to your A players with a message and an ask. First, the message. Show them how negative reviews make their job harder. If necessary, zero in on each A player’s frustrations with the quality of department X or delivery team Y. Make it personal.

Your task is simple. Have each A player write an authentic review. Every company has its shortcomings, and they should be included. You don’t even want over-the-top, 5-star reviews because they won’t be credible. You also don’t want a flurry of positive reviews to happen within a short window. It won’t take very many positive reviews to start turning around your overall score, depending on how many reviews your company currently has. All of this leads us to step 5. Ignore this step, and your Glassdoor Review fixes won’t stick.

Step 6: Implement Changes Based on Feedback

Depending on your point of view, this is where we share the potentially bad news. You must address the issues within your company that led to the poor Glassdoor ratings in the first place. Fix them, and your Glassdoor reviews going forward will almost always be positive. Even more positive, your overall Glassdoor Rating will turn into a recruiting strength. Ignore your problems, and the negative reviews will continue to pour in. If that happens, the steps above will not be enough to maintain an overall positive Glassdoor Rating (3 stars or greater).

Understanding the Impact on Job Seekers

Job seekers rely heavily on Glassdoor reviews to gain insight into a company’s work environment, culture, and reputation. Negative reviews can significantly impact a job seeker’s decision to apply for a job or accept an offer. In fact, 86% of job candidates look at a company’s reviews and rating on Glassdoor before applying. A company with a high number of negative reviews may struggle to attract top talent, as job seekers may doubt the company’s ability to provide a positive work environment. On the other hand, companies with positive reviews and a strong reputation can attract more job seekers and reduce the time it takes to fill open positions. It’s essential for companies to understand the impact of negative reviews on job seekers and develop a strategy to address them.

Our Final Take on Glassdoor.

Recruiting is a zero-sum game, meaning that when one employer wins by hiring an A player, another loses by missing out on that hire. Smart companies have chosen to embrace Glassdoor and turn it into a clear recruiting advantage. We see this as a smart company taking a smart approach.

Transparency is the new currency in the recruiting wars.

Another plus to Glassdoor is the transparency it provides job seekers about potential employers. Glassdoor’s reviews provide a more balanced view of an employer by sharing both the positives and negatives of working there. This is critical to getting your hires right. After all, it takes more than attracting A players to build a great company. You must attract A players that fit and will stay with your company.