Employers, Don't Dismiss That Negative Employee Review

'Insider takes' can damage a company, putting off top talent and upsetting clients. Here's how to turn things around.

- Kang Yang Trevor Yu

John was a business analyst who had worked for a couple of years at a mid-sized firm. He was bored and unfulfilled. Things at work had gone stale—no challenges, no learnings, no recognition.

An unexpected call came from a recruiter. The role on offer was at a fast-growing start-up and came with more responsibility, bigger title and a nice salary jump.

Interviews progressed smoothly enough, but John felt a lingering unease.

Before accepting the offer, he checked out the start-up's reviews on job platforms Glassdoor and Indeed: "Great opportunity. Be prepared to slave for success." "80 hr work weeks are the norm." "Sink or swim. Little to no manager guidance." "Place is like a revolving door. Nobody stays for long." "Nice title and perks but no work-life balance."

John had seen no red flags during his interviews. He wondered how he was to make sense of these reviews in the light of what seemed to be a great job opportunity.

Looking for a job has never been easy. What is the work culture like? Will I get along with my supervisor and colleagues? How will I fit in?

In the past, people sought insights from career counselors, school seniors, teachers and family. However, word-of-mouth comments can be opinionated and depend on how well the parties know the employer.

These days, the internet and social media have made it possible for anyone to access insider knowledge about potential employers in the form of employer reviews on Glassdoor, Indeed, Jobstreet and LinkedIn.

However, there are issues about their credibility. Originating from current and former employees, they might just be unverified gossip and baseless complaints. Then again, they might be an accurate account of the true state of affairs.

How a company responds—or chooses not to respond—to the reviews does matter, as most job candidates consult employer-review sites before applying, according to Glassdoor.