Negative Glassdoor reviews can sting.
They feel personal. Unfair. Even a bit embarrassing.
But here’s the thing – you can’t build a great workplace without being willing to hear the hard stuff first.
The worst thing you can do is ignore the review, rally your team to write fake ones, or scramble to get it taken down.
Because the world can see through that, and so can your team.
Instead, take a deep breath and read it again.
If there’s even a grain of truth in it (there usually is), then you’ve just been handed a gift.
And that’s the chance to make your workplace better.
Here’s how to respond to negative Glassdoor reviews like a company that cares – and how Stribe can help you get there.
The best workplaces aren’t the ones with zero criticism. They’re the ones that learn, grow, and keep listening even when it’s hard.
If the review is recent, it could be necessary to address it internally.
Be open with your team, for example: “We saw this review, and while it’s not easy to read, we want to understand it.”
Leaders who own their mistakes build trust.
It isn’t about admitting guilt or assigning blame, it’s about showing that feedback matters and you’re willing to make changes.
Stribe can help open the conversation with a quick pulse survey by aonymously asking your team how they feel about the issue raised.
You’ll receive real answers and eliminate any assumptions surrounding the negative review.
We’ve all seen the copy paste replies that lack all emotion and empathy – “We’re sorry you feel this way…”
Yawn.
If you’re going to respond publicly, make it human.
Thank them.
Acknowledge the pain point.
And share what you’re working on to address the issue!
If Glassdoor is your main source of feedback, there’s a bigger problem.
You’re reacting, not listening.
Start gathering regular, anonymous feedback from your people before they take it public.
With Stribe you can launch regular pulse surveys that give employees an opportunity to talk about challenges, as well as having an always-on feedback channel with our anonymous messenger feature which helps to capture feedback in-between surveys.
When people feel safe to speak up at work, they’ll have less reason to post negatively on Glassdoor – or any other platform.
But here’s the thing – you can’t build a great workplace without being willing to hear the hard stuff first.
“Terrible culture” or “toxic management” doesn’t tell you much unless you dig deeper.
So when negative feedback arises, use it as a reason to create a focused employee survey that lets people share specifics, and follow-up with action.
For example, if burnout is a theme you’ve seen and heard mentioned – you can run a burnout specific survey for your employees.
A targeted approach will help to unpack what’s really going on.
Similarly to the above point, if reviews repeatedly mention leadership issues, cliques, burnout or unclear progression – that’s your cue for a culture audit.
It doesn’t need to be a 6-month long project – in fact that will likely cause more disengagement.
Start small. What’s working? What’s hurting people?
Have a read of Stribe’s culture audit step-by-step guide to uncover your strengths and weaknesses without the overwhelm.
If Glassdoor is your main source of feedback, there’s a bigger problem. You’re reacting, not listening.
Negative reviews can light a fire under you.
That can be useful, but don’t panic because you’ll risk a performative fix.
Real change takes thought.
Get your data. Listen deeply. Then act as soon as possible.
There’s nothing worse than giving feedback and seeing nothing change.
After you’ve gathered insight, share what you’re doing in response.
Even if it’s still early days, your team will appreciate being kept updated with timelines and ongoing changes.
Stribe’s You Said, We Did feature is amazing for updates and boosting team trust in your process.
The harshest reviews often come from people who feel unheard.
Are you missing the voices of quieter teams, remote staff, or junior employees?
Make sure you’re giving everyone the opportunity to speak about their experiences with multiple channels of communication, not just the loudest voices in the room.
Too many companies scramble to protect their employer brand for future candidates while their current team is quietly suffering.
That’s backwards.
Fix engagement and culture for your people now, the rest will take care of itself.
If you only listen when things blow up, you’re frankly doing it wrong.
Make feedback part of your culture.
Not just once a year. Not just in exit interviews. But all the time – make it a normal part of working life.
Because at the end of the day, you can’t fix what you don’t know.
And the best workplaces aren’t the ones with zero criticism.
They’re the ones that learn, grow, and keep listening even when it’s hard.
If you’re ready to turn your feedback into action, Stribe can help you make that shift.
Get in touch, and we’ll help you build a workplace where people feel safe speaking up and you have the tools to take action.
About the author
Starting out her early career as a journalist, Jade Madeley is an accomplished content writer with 8+ years’ experience across business, personal finance, SaaS, human resources and employee engagement. Working with Stribe, she crafts insightful content that brings complex HR topics to life and drives meaningful action.
