Once, when I was managing a company of several dozen people, I had to part ways with an employee because, despite mutual efforts – both mine and the employee’s – things were simply not going well. We had a conversation during which I asked if there was anything else I could have done to help our cooperation. I received the answer that nothing more could be done.

About a day later, this employee’s post appeared on Gowork (even signed with his name), in which he completely disparaged the company and me. Of course, I did not remain indifferent and immediately responded, signing my full name.

There were probably a few more situations on Gowork, but this one stuck in my mind the most.

I am an advocate of my good name and reputation and that of the company I represent. If someone publishes comments, whether positive or negative, I respond to them on the merits.

I believe that criticism is necessary, but it should be fair and constructive. If comments are detached from reality, it is my role to present that reality. If a comment focuses on insulting instead of being substantive, I will report it for deletion.

Currently, I am not affected by the problem because I do not recruit, and at Element, we have an intimate, not to say, family team. However, most companies do not have such a comfortable situation. Some candidates always check employer reviews on portals like Gowork and Glassdoor. And the job market is challenging right now, so negative reviews definitely do not help with recruitment.

Before I got involved in building an ATS system (by the way, I encourage you to check it out – get to know the ATS Element!), I ran a recruitment company and personally experienced unjustified, negative reviews on Gowork. It was then that I encountered my fair share of unmerited negative feedback on review platforms like Gowork. Recognizing that inaction wasn’t an option, I was compelled to step up and address the situation. Taking advantage of the free opportunity these platforms provide to respond, I managed to safeguard my company’s online profile.

In the following paragraphs, I will outline how I upheld my company’s reputation. These best practices are offered not as a representative of Gowork or as an employer branding guru, but from the perspective of a business owner who takes pride in their company and reputation. The tactics I present are not only proven to be effective through my own experience, but their positive impact is evident across various other company profiles.

The first, straightforward, yet potent approach to handling negative feedback is to engage with all comments — both positive and negative. You can publish your responses under your own name, as an “Employer,” “Employee,” or even under a pseudonym.

When responding, please keep several points in mind:

1. Maintain a professional demeanor, use courteous language, and refrain from insulting the authors of negative posts — even if their remarks come across as offensive or crude. That said, you should tactfully address any vulgarity by kindly encouraging more respectful language.
2. Embrace criticism and exhibit a willingness to take necessary actions to improve any legitimate areas of concern brought to light in the comments.
3. If a comment depicts an untrue scenario, assertively and confidently clarify its inaccuracies. Additionally, paint an accurate picture of the situation to counter any negative impressions that may have been formed by reading the incorrect comment.
4. Always express gratitude for positive feedback and use these comments as an opportunity to stimulate discussions about the benefits of working at your company.

Examples:

Former staff expressing dissatisfaction with the organization