Registration is now open for the 2026 Candidate Experience Benchmark Research and Award Program, marking the 15th year of this industry benchmark initiative. The program provides organizations with data to measure, understand, and optimize their recruiting processes through confidential feedback from job seekers at all hiring stages. According to Jason Moreau, CEO of Survale, the program combines research with analytics technology to give talent leaders actionable intelligence for driving operational change. "There is no better way for an organization to validate their recruiting strategy," Moreau said.
The CandE Program allows employers to benchmark their candidate experience against global peers using a time-tested methodology. Participants receive access to a "lite" version of Survale's analytics platform, enabling global benchmarking against aggregate data from hundreds of organizations. The program helps identify perception gaps between recruiting teams and candidate experiences, provides expert consultations, and recognizes top performers with CandE Awards. Kevin Grossman, VP of CandE Benchmark Research at Survale, emphasized that the program goes beyond simple metrics to examine candidate resentment, fairness, and business impact. "Candidate expectations continue to evolve, and in any competitive hiring market, understanding those expectations is paramount," Grossman stated.
This initiative matters because it addresses a critical component of talent acquisition strategy in an increasingly competitive labor market. By providing standardized, confidential feedback from candidates, organizations can move beyond internal assumptions and identify systemic issues in their hiring processes. The benchmarking aspect allows companies to measure their performance not in isolation, but against a global dataset, revealing whether their candidate experience is an asset or a liability in the war for talent. The focus on metrics like candidate resentment and fairness reflects a growing recognition that the hiring process directly impacts employer brand and long-term business outcomes, as negative experiences can deter future applicants and damage reputation.
Organizations can learn more about the methodology, benefits, and timeline by visiting https://survale.com/candes/. In related news, Survale will host a webinar on January 21 presenting findings from the 2025 research program in honor of National Candidate Experience Day. The longevity of this program underscores the sustained importance of candidate experience as a strategic business priority, with data-driven insights becoming essential for organizations seeking to attract and retain top talent efficiently and ethically.
