Can you edit a Glassdoor review (all questions answered)

As the name suggests, Glassdoor focuses on complete transparency. It's where employees have their say about your company.

That way, future employees can decide whether you're the right fit for them. Nobody wants to work at a place with negative reviews. If you have a toxic workplace, chances are, your reviews will speak to that.

Similarly, customers might see these poor reviews and think, "I'm not going to support that business, look how they treat their staff!"

There can be times when strange people of this world - or competitors - write fake, nasty reviews. And, as negative reviews on the platform can reset your efforts, you'll want to find out if you can rectify their impact. Only sometimes can these be deleted.

That's why you might want to edit Glassdoor reviews.

So, can you edit an employee's review?

Unfortunately, you cannot edit that disheartening review that an employee left. And, deleting it isn't easy.

But, don't fret - there might be some wiggle room.

Do you know the employee? You can approach them and clear any bad blood between you two. Glassdoor make it even harder for you to figure out who the employee is with review anonymity.

People on Glassdoor often write initial reviews out of anger and rage. But with time, they may tone down and agree to edit (or even delete) their reviews.

An employee can edit the Glassdoor review that they submitted within 30 days (unless you, the employer, have already responded or it was marked as helpful). They can also delete the contributions altogether anytime.

Here are the steps the employee will take to edit a review

1. Log in to their Glassdoor account
2. Hit the Glassdoor Profile at the top-right corner, then Contributions in the drop-down menu
3. Select the Type of contribution on the left-hand side.
4. Then select Edit
5. After editing, they should click Save

The Glassdoor content team will need time to review and approve the revised version before it appears on the site.

If they wish to delete the review:

1. Log in to your Glassdoor account
2. Hit the Glassdoor Profile at the top-right corner, then Contributions in the drop-down menu
3. Select the review type on the left-hand side
4. Then select Delete

Usually, the site will need up to 24 hours to get the review removed for good.

Removing negative Glassdoor reviews

Let's face it, it's almost impossible to remove negative reviews from honest employees. You can only delete the Glassdoor reviews if you believe they've violated the site's community guidelines. You have two options here:

1. Flag the reviews

You don't need to be the employee to flag bad Glassdoor reviews that went against community guidelines. Simply go to the review and hit that flag at the bottom-right side. Then select a reason from the drop-down menu:

• Violates Glassdoor's community guidelines
• False reviews
• Written by HR or management
• It's for the wrong company's profile
• You want to comment on the review
• The same person has written multiple reviews (the rule is one review per employee per year)

2. Take legal action

Did Glassdoor refuse to take down the false review or negative review? Your next option is to take the legal route and report workplace misconduct. But removing reviews through this option may backfire due to several reasons:

• Glassdoor isn't legally liable for user-submitted content on its website
• It cannot expose the reviewer's identity
• The legal way may be costly, bring more negative press, or not end in your favour

So it's highly unlikely that you can delete negative Glassdoor reviews. But here's the good news: you can drown them through robust reputation management tactics:

• Respond to every review like the pro that you are!
• Earn more positive reviews and honest feedback from current employees.
• Bury negative reviews in Google by publishing diversified, SEO optimised and thought leadership content

Why editing Glassdoor reviews is worth the hassle

More than 5-billion people use the internet each day. Some of them are job seekers looking for their dream careers. That means your brand's reputation can nose-dive or skyrocket depending on search results and reviews on Google.

Thanks to Glassdoor's sheer popularity, your company will most probably pop up on the first page with its overall rating for everyone to see.

And since the site allows anonymous reviews, don't be surprised when people write fake reviews.

The stats speak for themselves:

• 33% of potential employees turn down an offer because of a negative company reputation
• Every month, Glassdoor influences 60 million+ users
• Company reputation influences 84% of job seekers' choice

Let's dive a bit deeper:

1. Bad Glassdoor reviews increase hiring costs

Consider this: you've pumped resources into your job marketing, screening, and interviewing process. Then the most qualified job candidates bail out after reading a false review or negative review on Glassdoor.

You'll have to count your losses (money and time) and return to the drawing board. Another option is to move on with the less qualified candidates. But, this second option can be costly in the long run.

Racking up your positive, genuine reviews boosts your company's reputation. The result is an expanded pool of applicants and more qualified candidates.

2. CEO reputation

Your company's CEO reputation impacts up to 45% of your brand's reputation. So even if you boast of shiny and positive reviews, a few complaints against your CEO can drown their impact.

That's why editing the complaints will save your CEO reputation and your company's name.

3. Bad Glassdoor reviews hinder growth and operations

As discussed earlier, bad reviews can make top talent shy away. The result is crippled operations.

Not only that - negative reviews can also scare away investors, partners, and other business opportunities. Strategic business partners will stop to think twice once they encounter bad reviews on the internet.

No one wants to absorb a reputational risk.

Final Thoughts

Is it possible to edit an employee's negative Glassdoor review? No. But you can remove reviews if they violate Glassdoor guidelines. Rush to flag them or consider legal action.

You can even attempt to figure out who left the review (if you're a small company, this shouldn't be too hard) and find a way to resolve their issues, and encourage them to edit their review. Turning it from negative to positive.

Just remember to be as polite and professional as possible.

The best way to come out on top is to generate rave reviews, request reviews and constantly focus on improving your workplace culture.

If you're looking to boost your positive reviews, consider Cloutly. Our tool helps you streamline your reviews and keep your finger on the pulse of employee feedback.

Try Cloutly for free!