From the Editor

Like many well-intentioned business initiatives, there are backlash problems with how some companies have pursued DEI, and different perspectives on how to improve on them. However, our 2024 CandE Benchmark Research once again revealed that females, people of color (Black, Hispanic, and Asian), and younger candidates (Gen Z) rated their candidate experiences more positively than all other demographics we track. More on this below plus related articles.

This week’s newsletter also features a piece by Ron Thomas titled The Workforce Architect: Redefining the Future of Human Resources and Talent Acquisition -- an important leadership piece. Tracey Parsons shares People Believe People: Why expanding your referral strategy to externals is the next front. And Jake Zerbe writes an great piece for finance and econ folks titled Sourcing Big When Investors Go Short.

There are also lots of recruiting and hiring news links below as well about DeepSeek, AI Safety, DEI, RTO Mandates, Walmart manager pay, and more. Plus, current research, free webinars to register for, and our upcoming ERE Recruiting Innovation Summit (early bird savings through January 31).

Remember that the ERE Recruiting, SourceCon, CandE, and TLNT newsletters are now merged into one and will bring you all the latest news and insights on sourcing, recruiting, hiring, and the candidate experience.

Let me know if you’ve got any news to share. Thank you for reading!

—Kevin Grossman, VP of Research & Editorial

Email me: Editor

Featured Article

Candidate Experience Still More Positive for Females, People of Color, and Gen Z

When candidates felt seen and heard, their positive sentiment increased, as did their perception of fairness in our research.

More Recruiting and Sourcing Information

Recruiting

The Workforce Architect: Redefining the Future of Human Resources and Talent Acquisition by Ron Thomas

The question is no longer whether HR and TA should have strategic leadership roles—it’s about what they will bring when they have them. The Workforce Architect ensures that what they bring is transformational.

People Believe People: Why expanding your referral strategy to externals is the next front by Tracey Parsons

Because the reality is the people you want to attract are just like you, they are listening to and buying from the people they trust in online channels.

Sourcing

Sourcing Big When Investors Go Short by Jake Zerbe

Leveraging open-source information about investor short positions can help recruiters identify companies where employees may be more receptive to new opportunities.

Candidate Experience

The 2025 CandE Benchmark Research Program Now Open

The annual CandE Benchmark Research Program helps you and your organization measure and understand your overall candidate experience ratings from pre-application to onboarding.

Employers big and small across industries are encouraged to participate. The CandE Benchmark Research Program will help you identify strengths and weaknesses in your recruiting process and your overall candidate experience with continuous candidate feedback.

Each year the CandE Benchmark Research Program recognizes those participating employers with the highest candidate experience ratings with our coveted CandE Awards.

Register today!

New CandE Reports from the 2024 CandE Benchmark Research are available (more coming soon!):

What Sets CandE Winners Apart is a special global report that highlights CandE Winner differentiators — those employers that participated in our annual research and have the highest candidate experience ratings overall.

The 2024 Business Impact of Candidate Experience research brief highlights the business impact of candidate experience and is based on the 2024 CandE benchmark research of over 240,000 global candidate responses.

Other Recruiting, Hiring, and Business News

• 9 Trends That Will Shape Work in 2025 and Beyond

• 11246

• What International AI Safety report says on jobs, climate, cyberwar and more

• AI Agents: The Next Big Challenge for TA Leaders (That No One’s Talking About)

• Why DeepSeek is different, in three charts

• Trump fires EEOC and labor board officials, setting up legal fight

• Walmart bets on the stressed-out, fading middle manager’s future, bumping pay to $620,000

• This is the No. 1 company to work for in the U.S.—it’s been a top employer for 17 years

• 200 U.K. companies have opted for a four-day workweek, latest data shows

• The "chilling effect" of deportations

• Return-to-Office Mandates Apply to Everyone, Except a Chosen Few (paywall)

• $1.1 Trillion at Stake: Pearson Report Urges Action, Solutions for Skills Gap

• DEI Is Under Attack. Now Is the Time for Companies to Hit Reset.

• Trump offering buyouts to all federal workers

Upcoming Webinars

Future-Proof Your Workforce: AI, Automation, and Skills for the Global Workplace

January 30, 2025 | 10:00 AM EDT | 1 Hour

Discover how AI and automation can transform talent strategies, drive innovation, and build a future-ready global workforce.

Designing an Inclusive Hiring Program That Prioritizes Accessibility

February 6, 2025 | 2:00 PM EDT | 1 Hour

Discover actionable strategies to create an inclusive hiring program that empowers talent with disabilities and builds a stronger, more equitable workforce.

Conferences

ERE Recruiting Innovation Summit

April 29-30, 2025 in Las Vegas, NV

Learn what comes next for talent acquisition. Build relationships that matter.

Updated agenda is up! Keynotes include:

• Glen Cathey SVP, Consulting Principal, Talent Advisory and Digital Strategy Randstad Enterprise

• Susan LaMotte Founder and CEO exaqueo

• Matthew Jeffrey Former Head of UKI Talent Attraction and Acquisition (Recruitment) EY

• Jackie Schierenberg System Vice President, Candidate Experience CommonSpirit Health

Early Bird tickets are live and you can save $100 off registration until Jan 31st.

Plus, we're planning:

• A great hike at Pine Creek Canyon Trail Red Rock Canyon Nevada

• Cosmic Bowling

• A Bar Crawl

• Yoga

• And more!