How Tech Layoffs Hurt Company Reputations on Glassdoor and Indeed, And How to Fix It

However, widespread tech layoffs have changed that dynamic to worse. In 2023 alone, roughly 1,500 tech companies cut over 300,000 jobs according to a network that tracks job cuts, and the trend continued into 2024 and 2025, leading to decline in employee morale, many of them took it to review sites like Glassdoor. 

The Fallout, A Surge in Negative Glassdoor and Indeed Reviews

After the layoffs, many affected employees turned to Glassdoor and Indeed to express frustrations, calling out leadership for poor decision making, lack of transparency, and unfair treatment. Even remaining employees have expressed concerns about their job security, heavier workloads, and declining company culture.

For HR teams, the influx of negative reviews has become a recruitment and retention nightmare. Poor ratings also deter top candidates, making it harder to fill key roles, and at the same time the existing employees feel discouraged by the public criticism of their workplace. Also, in extreme cases, viral reviews or trending social media posts can severely damage employer branding, requiring extensive effort to rebuild trust.

Negative reviews don’t just disappear, they stay visible indefinitely. With nearly 90% of job seekers researching company reviews before applying, a damaged online reputation can make future hiring more difficult. Some disgruntled employees may even post multiple fake reviews to further harm an employer’s reputation. 

Rebuilding a Strong Employer Reputation

While flagging and reporting inappropriate reviews is a necessary first step, it won’t undo the reputational damage alone. Companies need a strategy to repair their image and rebuild trust.

Here’s how to begin:

Engage with reviews

• Addressing negative feedback professionally and showing a willingness to resolve concerns.

Responding to reviews, especially negative ones, is not about damage control or defensiveness. It’s about initiating a dialogue and showing that the company is listening. Think of it as an opportunity to turn a negative experience into a chance to demonstrate empathy and a commitment to improvement.

Tips:

• • Timeliness is key: A quick response within a few days shows you’re paying attention and value the feedback.
  • Professionalism above all: Maintain a professional and respectful tone, even when responding to unfair or emotionally charged reviews. Remember, your response is not just for the reviewer; it’s for everyone else.
  • Acknowledge and validate: Use phrases like, “Thank you for sharing your feedback,” or “We appreciate you bringing this to our attention”, or “We understand your frustration…”
  • Offer solutions, not excuses: If you’ve already taken steps to rectify the situation, mention them. If not, explain what steps you plan to take.
  • Personalize your response: Refer to the reviewer’s username or the specific details of their review.
  • Focus on the future: Mention any initiatives the company is taking to improve employee experience, such as new training programs, improved communication strategies, or changes to company policies. This shows you’re committed to learning and making positive changes.

Encourage positive contributions

• Asking satisfied employees to share their experiences to create more balanced positive reviews.

A balanced perspective is more credible to potential candidates and helps offset the impact of negative feedback. This isn’t about manufacturing fake positivity; it’s about encouraging your satisfied employees to share their genuine experiences.

Tips:

• • Identify your advocates: Start by identifying those who are genuinely happy and engaged in their work. Think about members who consistently contribute positively, participate in company events, or have expressed satisfaction in internal surveys or conversations.
  • Make it easy: Provide clear and easy-to-follow instructions on how to leave a review on Glassdoor and Indeed. Include direct links to your company’s profile on each platform, and consider creating a short, internal guide with screenshots. The easier you make the process, the more likely employees are to participate.
  • Explain the “why”: Don’t just ask for reviews without explaining why they’re important. Instead, demonstrate how positive reviews can help attract top talent, improve the company’s reputation, and ultimately benefit everyone in the organization.
  • Timing is important: For example, after a successful project, a positive performance review, or a company-wide event that boosted morale. These are times when people are more likely to feel positive about their work experience.
  • Offer gentle reminders: Perhaps a quick message in a company newsletter, a mention during a team meeting, or a follow-up email. However, avoid being pushy or overly insistent. The goal is to encourage genuine input, not pressure others into writing what they do not mean.
  • Highlight success stories: Share examples of positive reviews and the impact they’ve had (e.g. how a positive one helped attract a talented candidate or boosted team morale). This can motivate other members to be open about their own experiences.
  • Focus on specifics: Encourage employees to focus on specific aspects of their experience that they value. This could be anything from the company culture and work-life balance to career development opportunities and the leadership team. You could even provide some prompts, such as: “What do you enjoy most about working here?”, “What opportunities for growth have you had?”, or “How would you describe the company culture?”

Improve workplace culture

The most effective way to improve your reputation on Glassdoor and Indeed is to create a workplace culture that genuinely deserves positive reviews (which requires a proactive, long-term commitment to be established).

Tips:

• • Prioritizing employee well-being: This can include offering comprehensive health insurance, flexible work arrangements, generous paid time off, and mental health resources. Consider implementing wellness programs, such as on-site gyms, mindfulness workshops, or employee assistance programs.
  • Foster a supportive environment to prevent further dissatisfaction: Provide regular opportunities for two-way communication, such as town hall meetings, surveys, and one-on-one check-ins with managers.
  • Promote work-life balance: Encourage people to disconnect after work hours and take time for themselves. Be mindful of workload distribution and avoid overloading them.
  • Invest in employee development: Training programs, mentorship opportunities, and tuition reimbursement, etc. these initiatives demonstrate that you’re invested in people’s future.
  • Recognize and reward contributions: This can be done through formal performance reviews, informal acknowledgments, bonuses, promotions, or even simple thank-you notes.
  • Lead by example: Leaders at all levels should embody the values and behaviors that you want to see in your organization. They should be role models for positive work habits, respectful communication, and a commitment to sustainability.

Monitor and manage reviews

• Staying proactive in responding to feedback and flagging false or inappropriate reviews. For example, you can flag and report fake and misleading Glassdoor reviews and the same can be done with Indeed.

Tips:

• • Establish a regular schedule: Daily or weekly checks are ideal, especially for larger companies. This allows you to stay on top of new comments and respond quickly.
  • Assign ownership: Designate specific individuals or teams to be responsible for monitoring and responding to reviews. This ensures that the task doesn’t fall through the cracks and that responses are consistent and timely. You can consider creating a shared inbox or using specialized software to streamline the process.
  • Use tools: Several tools are available that can help aggregate reviews from multiple platforms, alert you to new ones, and provide analytics on your review trends.
  • Respond promptly and professionally: As discussed earlier, responding to reviews promptly and professionally is crucial. Even if you disagree with something, maintain a respectful tone and focus on addressing the concerns raised.
  • Flag and report inappropriate reviews: Glassdoor and Indeed have policies in place to prevent fake, defamatory, or inappropriate comments. Familiarize yourself with these policies and don’t hesitate to flag and report those that violate them (e.g. contain personal attacks, confidential information, or are clearly fabricated)
  • Document everything: Keep a record of all the reviews you’ve received, your responses, and any actions you’ve taken. This documentation can be helpful if you need to escalate an issue or provide evidence to Glassdoor or Indeed.
  • Engage offline: If a review raises complex issues or requires a more in-depth conversation, offer to take the discussion offline. Provide a direct email address or phone number for the reviewer to contact you privately.
  • Track trends: Are there recurring themes or issues being raised? This should provide valuable insights into areas where your company may improve.

Communicate transparently about future anticipated layoffs and what to expect

• Keeping employees informed about company changes to prevent speculation and misinformation.

Tips:

• • Be proactive and timely: Don’t wait for rumors to spread. The sooner employees are informed, the less likely they are to rely on speculation and misinformation.
  • Be honest and direct: While you don’t need to share every detail, be transparent about the overall situation and the potential impact on others.
  • Explain the rationale: Provide context behind the decisions – so that people may better understand the factors that led to the changes.
  • Provide opportunities for Q&A: Give employees opportunities to ask questions and express their concerns. This could be through live Q&A sessions, anonymous feedback forms, or direct communication with HR or management.

By implementing these strategies, companies can rebuild trust, improve their Glassdoor and Indeed ratings, and demonstrate their commitment to employees, even in challenging times.