Registration is now open for the 2026 Candidate Experience Benchmark Research and Award Program, announced by Survale, a provider of talent feedback and experience management solutions. The program, entering its 15th year, is described as the industry's longest-running and most rigorous benchmark research initiative, designed to help organizations measure, understand, and optimize their recruiting processes to enhance candidate experience.
The 2026 CandE Program enables employers to benchmark their candidate experience against a global standard of peers using a time-tested methodology. It captures confidential feedback from job seekers across all stages of the hiring funnel, from pre-application to onboarding, to reveal the impact of recruiting efforts on employer brand and business outcomes. Jason Moreau, CEO of Survale, stated that the program combines prestigious research with Survale's analytics technology to provide talent leaders with actionable intelligence to drive operational change and validate recruiting strategies.
Participants in the program gain access to a "lite" version of Survale's analytics platform, allowing them to benchmark globally by comparing anonymous candidate feedback against aggregate data from hundreds of other organizations. They can also uncover perception gaps between recruiting teams and candidates, gain expert insight through one-on-one consultations, and earn recognition as 2026 CandE Award Winners for high candidate satisfaction ratings. Kevin Grossman, VP of CandE Benchmark Research at Survale, emphasized that the program provides a deep dive into candidate resentment, fairness, and business impact, going beyond simple metrics to address evolving candidate expectations in competitive hiring markets.
Registration details and more information about the methodology, benefits, and timeline are available at https://survale.com/candes/. In related news, Survale will host a webinar on January 21 at 11 AM PT for National Candidate Experience Day, presenting findings from the 2025 CandE Research Program and discussing trends for 2026.
