When employees feel connected to one another, they produce better results. A Harvard Business Review study found that people who have a sense of community at work are 58% more likely to thrive, 55% more engaged, and 66% more likely to stay with their organization. They experience significantly less stress and are happier outside of work, too.
But the pandemic made it harder to sustain those relationships: The same study found that the sense of community at work has declined 37% since the pandemic.
During the pandemic, workers moved their water cooler talk to online platforms where they could maintain a workplace community. That change has stuck, even for companies that have now fully returned to the office. Virtual interaction has proven to be surprisingly rewarding regardless of where people work. Employees are now exchanging ideas, candidly discussing company direction, brainstorming solutions, and building bonds through sharing life stories along with workplace questions.
Your workplace needs a Company Bowl™
Employees and your company benefit from a strong community. If you, as a leader, engage in it, you can gain greater insight into what your teams need and take steps to drive real change. With Glassdoor Company Bowls, exclusive spaces where employees and leaders can connect, leaders now have a chance to do just that.
For more than 15 years, Glassdoor reviews have offered leaders access to the unvarnished, anonymous opinions of current and former employees. While employers could act on that feedback or reply, the conversation aspect was missing. Company Bowls allow leaders to engage in true back-and-forth dialogue and gain the understanding they need to shape a stronger company culture.
For your (company's) eyes only
Within the Glassdoor app, you can find your dedicated space, what we refer to as a "bowl". There, your employees can ask questions, share ideas, problem-solve, tell stories, and more. They can post anonymously, with their job title, or as themselves - all the while extending your workplace culture in a whole new way. In a Company Bowl, you'll hear many voices, points, and counterpoints. Paired with company reviews, you'll have the complete picture of the employee experience.
Conversations in Company Bowls are restricted to verified employees (unlike Glassdoor reviews that are visible to the public), making them an ideal space to get ahead of negative criticism, clear up any confusion or misunderstandings, and remedy any missteps before they affect employee morale or show up in your Glassdoor reviews. They're also a smart place to have discussions about salary transparency, creating more inclusive workplaces, or evaluating company benefits.
Listen in and speak up
Leaders can join in, too. (In fact, we strongly suggest that you do.) Hop in to answer questions, offer perspective, help brainstorm, deliver company news, collect feedback, observe the back and forth, and more. You may even gain inspiration for new programs and policies. When a bowl discussion leads to strategic change, it shows that the leadership team is responsive to employees' ideas, a key part of building a strong employer brand.
While you probably have internal ways of sharing company policy information, like in an employee handbook or all-company meetings, a Company Bowl allows you to tackle specific questions or concerns as they arise - especially the ones that folks may not feel comfortable asking publicly. Bowls also tend to be self-regulating: For example, if a new employee posts a question about paid leave, one of their peers will likely be able to share the relevant information - freeing leaders and the people teams from the constant need to respond. And, when an employee shares a controversial thought that is not reflective of your company's overall culture, other employees will often chime in and course-correct the conversation to better represent your brand.
Tap into the pulse of your talent base
Whether it's gauging employees' excitement for a new initiative or concerns about downsizing, leaders can pose questions and get a real-time read on their team through Company Bowls. You don't have to wait until someone leaves to find out what they really think. Explore open, honest, anonymous conversations on your Company Bowl for feedback today that shapes a better employee experience tomorrow.
Download the Glassdoor app to join the conversation.
