Registration is now open for the 2026 Candidate Experience Benchmark Research and Award Program, marking the 15th year of this industry-standard initiative. The program, operated by Survale, provides organizations with confidential feedback from job seekers at all hiring stages, from pre-application to onboarding, using a time-tested methodology to benchmark recruiting processes against global peers.
The importance of this program stems from its ability to reveal the true impact of recruiting efforts on employer brand and business outcomes. As candidate expectations continue to evolve in competitive hiring markets, understanding those expectations has become paramount for talent acquisition success. The CandE Program goes beyond simple metrics to provide a deep dive into candidate resentment, fairness, and the business impact of the hiring experience.
"We are proud to kick off the 15th year of the CandEs, a program that has defined the standard for candidate experience excellence," said Jason Moreau, CEO of Survale. "By combining this prestigious research with Survale's powerful analytics technology, we are giving talent leaders the actionable intelligence they need to not just measure sentiment, but to drive real operational change."
Participants in the 2026 program receive access to a "lite" version of Survale's analytics platform, enabling them to compare anonymous candidate feedback against aggregate data from hundreds of other organizations. This benchmarking capability helps identify perception gaps between how recruiting teams view their processes and how candidates actually experience them. Organizations can learn more about the methodology, benefits, and timeline by visiting https://survale.com/candes/.
Kevin Grossman, VP of CandE Benchmark Research at Survale, emphasized the program's comprehensive approach: "The CandE Program goes beyond simple metrics; it provides a deep dive into candidate resentment, fairness, and the business impact of the hiring experience. We invite organizations of all sizes to join us in 2026 to measure what matters and celebrate their success."
Qualifying organizations with the highest candidate satisfaction ratings will be recognized as 2026 CandE Award Winners, providing a mark of excellence in the talent acquisition industry. Additionally, participants receive a one-on-one consultation with candidate experience experts to review results and discuss improvement strategies.
In related news, Survale will host a webinar on January 21 at 11 AM PT titled "#CandExperienceDay2026: What's in Store for Candidate Experience in 2026," presenting findings from the 2025 CandE Research Program in honor of National Candidate Experience Day. This event further underscores the ongoing importance of measuring and optimizing candidate experience as a strategic business priority.
