7 minute read
I Can't Hear You: The Employee Voice Problem
Author
Matthew Gilbert
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Employee voices in Employer Brand have become standard practice. Show real people. Use their words. Let them tell their stories in videos, on your career site, in testimonials. It sounds authentic. It feels modern. It checks the box.
But here's the question nobody wants to answer: Is it actually authentic?
Which company are you more likely to trust? The one showing you only the upside, or the one willing to be real about the challenges?
When Employees Become Spokesmodels
The moment we ask employees to share stories for recruitment purposes, we cross a threshold. They become spokesmodels serving a goal. That's not inherently bad, but let's be honest about what it is.
The production side is straightforward: ask employees to be filmed or photographed, have them write down their thoughts, edit it together, publish. But the substance side requires harder questions:
If an employee was asked to make a video and they were critical, would that get published?
If an employee refused to participate because they didn't want to be a recruiting spokesmodel, what does that say about the authenticity of those who agreed?
If the only thing people share are positive stories and experiences, how can job seekers trust they can expect similar?
Most organizations haven't thought this through. They just know that "employee voices" is what you're supposed to do in modern employer branding.
The Trust Problem
When every employee video glows with positivity, job seekers aren't stupid. They know they're watching curated content. They know someone approved it. They know criticism didn't make the cut.
This doesn't build trust. It erodes it.
The irony is that organizations pursue employee voices specifically to build authenticity and trust—then undermine both by only showing the highlight reel.
What Actual Authenticity Looks Like
Not to rain on any parades, but first we have to ask a tough question: How honest, transparent, and broad-based are we willing to be in sharing employee voices?
If the answer is "only positive voices," then don't pretend it's authentic. Call it what it is: employee testimonials serving a marketing function.
But if you're willing to do something different, here's what real authenticity could look like:
Handle critical voices honestly. When someone shares criticism, ask them to explain it. "Say what you will, but tell us why you feel that way." Then—and this is where most organizations lose their nerve—investigate it. Get the story. Talk to people on the team, managers, leadership. Make a companion piece about how you're addressing the challenge.
That's not just authenticity. That's accountability. That's caring. And that will matter way more than a hundred "everything is great here" videos.
Show the full picture. Imagine job seekers scroll to a section of your career site and see:
Hear positive stories from 10 employees
Hear critical stories from 10 employees
Hear 10 ways we're addressing issues and expanding what's working
Which company are you more likely to trust? The one showing you only the upside, or the one willing to be real about the challenges?
What People Actually Hear
When you only publish positive employee voices, here's what job seekers hear:
"We're going to tell you what we want you to believe, not what's actually true."
"We don't trust you to make an informed decision."
"We're afraid of honesty."
When you show the full picture—positive, critical, and how you're responding—here's what they hear:
"We're confident enough to be honest."
"We respect your ability to evaluate what matters to you."
"We're actively working to improve, not pretending we're perfect."
The second version creates trust. The first version just creates content.
The Connection Question
Employee voices should help job seekers connect with what it's actually like to work somewhere. But connection requires truth, not curation.
What employees say matters. How they say it matters. Whether you're willing to share the full range of experience matters most.
By all means, tap into the voice of employees. But be real about it. Let people actually hear you—the good, the challenging, and what you're doing about both.
That's how you differentiate and win in the job search comparison process. Not by having employee videos. Everyone has those. By having the courage to be honest about what those voices are actually saying.
WorkingTheory helps organizations build authentic employer brands by understanding what creates trust and connection—not just what looks good on a career site.
