Dealing with Reviews

7.1 Reviews on public forums, (social media and some job sites), can support or damage your employer brand. How you respond to them can be equally significant. Most people know that sites will often contain the odd bad review and will often accept this if its content isn’t wholly damaging and if the organisation has dealt with the points raised – however questionable these may be. Every review will tell you something. Even if it’s that your communications need to be sharper. Six tips on dealing with reviews are:

Actively decide whether to reply. A glowing review may stand on its own merits, but you may want to increase coverage by for example tweeting with thanks. Or add to your own website. Generally, it’s good practice to respond to negative reviews. There are dangers if you don’t; not least sometimes things gain traction and “me too” responses need to be addressed quickly.

Reinforce the brand in your message content. As previously, get the tone right and use the opportunity to push your message. But, speak like a person – avoid organisational jargon and ‘brand speak’ – get the balance right.

Don’t take it personally and never get into an argument. This has the potential to be far more interesting to the casual reader. The reviewer may also be ‘known’ to the organisation and potentially could have left under a cloud. But a public form isn’t the place to re-live. Be professional.

Don’t make excuses, the reviewer does not really care, for example, that you didn’t have the resources to respond to their application for two months. Apologise for your mistake, take accountability for the specific issue and show how things will be different in the future.

If there are details to be sorted with the review, encourage them to contact separately to work out in a private conversation.

Look for patterns. If, for example, people are posting complaints about your recruitment service, this may give you information far quicker than internal performance reports.

7.2 Do not be frightened of reviews. If your organisational brand gives importance to the employees’ voice you may want to positively encourage people to express what they like about the organisation. At the recruitment stage and as a way for people to act as brand ambassadors during employment, as previously touched upon. Like them or not reviews are here to stay, and they are actively sought by job seekers and employees, therefore take the opportunity and manage them positively.

4.8 Other Media

8.1 In an environment where we are immersed in web-based messages it is easy to overlook the impact that traditional media has on an employer brand. Tone of voice, considered earlier in this chapter, and content that is appropriate to the brand should be expressed in e-mails, letters, signage, policy handbooks and organisational brochures.

8.2 It is natural to spend money and give attention to outward facing resources that showcase the organisation to new recruits. But what a disappointment for the applicant when waiting for an interview to glance through old materials at odds with the dynamic brand that has been promoted! Materials used within the organisation must; express content that is consistent with an employee’s experiences, be in line with brand values, be regularly updated and refreshed. As previously explored, it is easy to post information on line; it can be a lengthy process to design and produce printed stock. It is important therefore to get this right and ensure that what is produced is not too time bound.

8.3 It is difficult to influence how people communicate within an organisation. Communication and branding guidelines assist; including font type, use of logos and consistent colours. All create a reaction in the reader. People also pick up the tone used within an organisation and begin to replicate its style. It is important therefore that organisational messages, whether from senior managers or HR departments, are crafted to adhere to the brand. Ultimately, however, it is what people say and do that will have the greatest impact. How HR services and manager can live the message is explored in the chapter that follows.

4.9 Time to reflect

9.1 Thinking about resources; who is going to lead communication of the brand in your organisation? Consider whether they have a dedicated budget and if have they got spare capacity to pay ongoing attention to the demands of social media. What training might they need to communicate the messages that you want to promote?

9.2 What tone of voice would best describe your organisation; serious, light hearted? If, for example, your organisation places great value on listening to staff and potential applications write down how might this influence your choice of media, its content and how you express key messages. Also consider how this tone may influence your response to poor reviews – they are going to happen.

9.3 As we have explored there is wealth of social media options available, as well as the organisation’s website. Create a grid of; what benefits the site and social media options offer (Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook etc.), what audiences are being reached and how often you are likely to have to give attention to. Your choices on what to use may become clear.