Whether it is books or hotels, televisions or restaurants, consumers often seek the opinions of others before committing to purchase. Recent research suggests that job applicants display similar behavioural traits; also relying on online channels such as Glassdoor for trusted information to make employment decisions. Glassdoor allows employees and former employees to anonymously review companies and their management as well as detail salary and interview information.
My recent study is the first significant academic research in to Glassdoor in the UK and suggests that the site isregarded by users as more trustworthy than traditional information sources such as employer-produced collateral or career guidance professionals.
The research clearly shows that Glassdoor is considered trustworthy – 68% of respondents stated that they considered Glassdoor to be either entirely or somewhat trustworthy, second only to word of mouth informationfrom family, friends, and colleagues/ex-colleagues. That this relatively new information source is considered more trustworthy than traditional information sources is of importance to HR professionals, who need to understand the significance of this when shaping their employer brand.
Users appear to be aware of Glassdoor’s potential weaknesses. Respondents overwhelmingly listed two pitfalls: the perceived negative bias of the reviewers and the perceived lack of verification of reviews. Common traits affecting trust, such as ability, benevolence and integrity, were viewed as absent from Glassdoor but this did not impact participants’ trust in the site. In short, users are aware of the site’s limitations but trust and value the reviews anyway.
Read the complete article here: http://www.hrmagazine.co.uk/article-details/why-you-shouldnt-ignore-glassdoor