Question 1: What key recruiting processes and candidate experience improvements have you identified and completed in the past 6-12 months? (Be as specific as possible with examples for each.)
At Schneider Electric, our Talent Attraction strategy centers on human connection, transparency, and respect. In today’s competitive market, delivering a best-in-class experience—one that reflects our culture from the first interaction—is essential to attracting and retaining top talent.
In March 2025, we rebranded from Talent Acquisition to Talent Attraction (TA), signaling a shift toward a more strategic, candidate-focused function. This new identity integrates sourcing, employer branding, market intelligence, and candidate experience—aligning our efforts with Schneider Electric’s bold ambitions for 2025 and beyond.
Since 2023, we’ve used SURVALE, a continuous listening platform, to gather feedback from candidates, hiring managers, and TA teams. This 360-degree view helps us refine the recruitment experience based on real-time insights. In early 2025, SURVALE data highlighted a key opportunity to improve how we communicate application outcomes (internally referred to as “candidate dispositioning”), especially as our Mexico team transitioned into our regional Applicant Tracking System (ATS), enabling consistent processes across North America (NAM).
This transition fostered cross-regional collaboration, with teams in Mexico, Canada, and the U.S. aligning on best practices to strengthen candidate communication. Guided by this feedback and strategic alignment, we implemented three key improvements:
1. Timely Candidate Communication as a Strategic Priority
AI-powered analysis of over 3,000 candidate comments revealed that applicants deeply value receiving updates—especially when many companies don’t respond at all.
Candidate feedback examples:
- “The feedback on job application decisions has been prompt, timely and professional. Many others do not even offer a response to the applicant/candidate.”
- “I appreciate the promptness in getting in touch with candidates and providing feedback no matter the outcome.”
- “Appreciate timely feedback AND simply receiving a response at all.”
This insight led to a region-wide initiative to strengthen candidate communication across North America, especially following Mexico’s successful ATS transition in July 2025.
Key actions:
- Weekly team calls across NAM to monitor progress, share feedback, and coach teams.
- Hiring managers engaged as active partners in candidate communication.
- Goal: Ensure that at least 80% of new applicants receive timely updates about their status and whether they’re being considered or not.
Results (YTD 2025 vs. January 1, 2025):
- Mexico: Reduced the percentage of candidates left waiting from 28% to 11%.
- U.S.: Improved from 11% to 8%.
- Canada: Improved from 23% to 20%.
These improvements reflect our commitment to delivering a transparent, respectful, and data-informed experience for every candidate.
2. Taskforce Continuity and Leadership Engagement
With tens of thousands of applicants annually and a hiring rate of just 1–1.5%, our communication practices reflect a deep respect for the 98–99% of candidates we don’t hire. This effort is collaborative, involving TA, hiring managers, and leadership.
Our candidate experience taskforce, led by a NAM champion, meets monthly to:
- Review score progress and operational challenges.
- Align our roadmap with real-time feedback.
- Share top positive and constructive candidate comments.
Quarterly reviews with TA leaders ensure strategic alignment and resource prioritization. A dedicated Microsoft Teams channel supports continuous learning, sharing articles, tips, and videos to keep candidate experience top of mind. The taskforce also played a key role in supporting the ATS transition and ensuring consistent communication practices across the region.
3. Culture of Feedback and Continuous Learning
We’ve reinforced our culture of feedback by collecting insights from candidates, hiring managers, and recruiters at every stage of the process. This 360-degree view helps us refine our approach and ensure that improvements are grounded in real experiences.
Ongoing efforts include:
- A Microsoft Teams channel for sharing learning resources and best practices to keep candidate experience top of mind.
- Use of SURVALE data to track satisfaction, benchmark against industry peers, and identify trends.
These improvements demonstrate how Schneider Electric’s TA team is driving measurable impact through thoughtful, human-centered recruiting practices. By combining data, feedback, and collaboration, we’re creating a candidate experience that reflects our values—and sets us apart in the market.
Question 2: How did you build support and commitment within your team and your leadership to make these improvements? (Be as specific as possible with examples.)
At Schneider Electric, our commitment to continuous improvement in candidate experience is deeply rooted in our culture of learning, collaboration, and accountability. In March 2025, our function rebranded from Talent Acquisition to Talent Attraction (TA), reinforcing our strategic shift toward a more holistic, candidate-centric approach. This evolution helped unify our teams around a shared mission and strengthened leadership commitment to improving every stage of the candidate journey.
Candidate experience is not just a priority—it’s part of our TA culture and DNA. We reinforce its importance in conversations about our ambition, vision, and strategy. Every candidate is treated as a customer, and our teams are empowered to act like owners of their process, delivering a respectful and transparent experience.
To build support and commitment across our teams and leadership, we focused on four key pillars: communication, collaboration, accountability, and education. These pillars guided multiple initiatives this year, including our enhanced approach to candidate communication (internally referred to as “dispositioning”), expanded feedback loops, and stronger cross-regional alignment.
1. Communication and Transparency
- Weekly NAM team calls, including Mexico, to monitor progress, share best practices, and address challenges in real time.
- Monthly and quarterly updates to the broader TA community to reinforce the strategic importance of candidate experience.
- Weekly data snapshots highlighting candidate communication rates, advancement metrics, and SURVALE feedback—used to track performance and identify improvement areas.
2. Collaboration Across Stakeholders
- The successful ATS transition in Mexico was a cross-functional effort involving TA, HRIS, and hiring managers—whose adaptability ensured high standards of candidate communication during change.
- Hiring managers are now active partners in candidate updates, with their feedback integrated into process improvements.
- Our candidate experience taskforce expanded to include Mexico-based ambassadors who coach peers, surface operational challenges, and help shape our continuous improvement roadmap.
3. Accountability and Recognition
- Candidate experience is a core performance objective for recruiters and TA leaders, with communication metrics tied to annual reviews.
- Our internal recognition program celebrates five recruiters monthly for excellence in candidate experience, now including spotlights on Mexico’s team members for their rapid progress.
- Managers use survey data and performance reports in coaching sessions to reinforce expectations and guide development.
4. Education and Continuous Learning
At Schneider Electric, we invest in internal talent through experience, exposure, and education. Continuous learning is essential in a fast-changing world, and our TA teams engage in regular training on trending topics and strategic priorities including:
- Expanding the breadth of talent pipelines and candidate profiles.
- Understanding our company story, rewards philosophy, and candidate experience impact.
- Weekly or bi-weekly one-on-one meetings with managers, targeted coaching sessions, and leadership workshops to build strategy and roadmap alignment.
These efforts have led to measurable improvements in candidate communication and satisfaction scores—and more importantly, a cultural shift. Candidate experience is now a shared responsibility across TA, hiring managers, and leadership. Every applicant, whether hired or not, is treated with respect and transparency, reflecting our belief that every candidate deserves an answer.
Question 3: Which of these improvements do you think are the most unique and innovative and why? (Be as specific as possible with examples for each.)
One of the most innovative improvements in our candidate experience strategy this year has been the regional harmonization of communication practices across North America, culminating in Mexico’s successful transition to our shared Applicant Tracking System (ATS) in July 2025. This milestone unified our platforms and enabled a consistent, scalable approach to candidate engagement—regardless of location. By streamlining systems and aligning expectations across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, we’ve created a more transparent and respectful experience for every applicant.
1.Technology Integration Across Borders
The ATS transition in Mexico was a cross-functional effort involving Talent Acquisition, HRIS, and local leadership. By aligning Mexico with the U.S. and Canada on a single platform, we eliminated fragmentation and enabled:
- Standardized dispositioning workflows and candidate status updates
- Real-time reporting and visibility across all NAM countries
- Timely, consistent communication about their application status for every candidate
Impact:
- Mexico NPS before ATS (Jan 1 – July 7): 62.9
- Mexico NPS after ATS (July 7 – Sept 30): 73.9 (+11 point increase)
2. Timely Communication as a Cultural Commitment
With tens of thousands of applicants annually and a hiring rate of just 1–1.5%, we’ve made it a priority to ensure that every candidate—whether hired or not—receives timely, respectful updates throughout their journey. This initiative stands out because it’s not just a process change, it’s a cultural shift embedded in our daily operations.
Key practices include:
- Weekly team calls across NAM to review dispositioning metrics and share feedback.
- A commitment to ensuring no more than 20% of candidates are left waiting for updates at any given time.
- Use of candidate experience surveys to track satisfaction and identify areas for coaching and improvement.
Goal: Ensure that at least 80% of new applicants receive timely updates about their status and whether they’re being considered.
Impact (YTD 2025 vs. Jan 1, 2025):
- Mexico: Reduced candidates left waiting from 28% to 11%
- U.S.: Improved from 11% to 8%
- Canada: Improved from 23% to 20%
3. Recognition and Accountability Framework
We’ve continued to evolve our internal recognition program to spotlight recruiters who champion candidate experience. This year we expanded the program to include Mexico, celebrating their rapid adoption of best practices post-ATS transition. Our monthly recognition of five recruiters (one per business unit squad) reinforces ownership and keeps candidate experience top of mind.
Key practices include:
- Rotating recognition of recruiters for reasons such as highest candidate NPS, standout hiring manager feedback, and excellence in timely communication
- Broad participation: ~85% of teams receive recognition across various forums—team meetings, organizational updates, and peer or stakeholder shoutouts
- Positive feedback loop: Employees express appreciation for the visibility and are energized by unsolicited praise from candidates and hiring managers
Why it matters: In a year marked by business uncertainty, this framework has strengthened team engagement and collaboration. Recruiters are not only celebrated for their impact—they’re empowered to identify gaps, share success stories, and co-create solutions based on survey insights and KPIs discussed monthly.
4. Candidate Experience Taskforce Expansion
Our candidate experience taskforce now includes members from all NAM countries, creating a cross-border community of ambassadors. These champions:
- Coach peers on best practices.
- Surface operational bottlenecks.
- Influence our continuous improvement roadmap with real-time insights.
This grassroots approach ensures that innovation is not just top-down—it’s driven by those closest to the candidate journey.
In summary, the most innovative improvement this year has been our regional harmonization of candidate experience practices, especially through the lens of dispositioning. By combining technology, culture, and community, we’ve created a scalable, respectful, and data-informed approach that honors every candidate’s time and interest in Schneider Electric.
Question 4: How do you know that your changes are making a difference and what data or evidence validates the innovative improvements you made? (Be as specific as possible with examples for each based on your people, your processes, and your technologies, and include any candidate quotes that validate the improvements made.)
We know our candidate experience improvements are making a difference because we’re seeing measurable impact across our people, processes, and technologies—validated by data, feedback, and behavioral shifts within our TA teams.
1. People: Engagement, Coaching, and Recognition
Our recruiters and hiring managers are more engaged than ever in delivering a respectful and transparent candidate journey. We’ve seen:
- Increased participation in weekly team calls focused on candidate communication metrics—especially from our newly onboarded Mexico team
- A rise in peer coaching sessions led by candidate experience ambassadors, who share best practices and troubleshoot challenges.
- Expansion of our monthly recognition program to include Mexico, celebrating recruiters who champion candidate experience
Supporting data:
- During the ATS transition, we paired 2–3 Mexico-based recruiters with 5 experienced buddies from the U.S. and Canada. These groups met weekly to provide support and guidance, strengthening cross-regional collaboration
- Team engagement has increased as a result, with more proactive sharing of feedback, solutions, and successes during weekly team meetings
2. Processes: Dispositioning and Feedback Loops
Our dispositioning practices have become more consistent and timely across North America. With Mexico now aligned on the same ATS, we’ve been able to:
- Track and reduce the percentage of candidates left waiting for updates.
- Use weekly dispositioning snapshots to identify bottlenecks and coach teams accordingly.
- Monitor candidate advancement rates and ensure timely communication at each stage.
Our goal is to ensure that at least 80% of new applicants receive timely updates about their status and whether they’re being considered or not. We are currently meeting or exceeding this goal in all 3 NAM countries.
Results (YTD 2025 vs. January 1, 2025):
- Mexico: Reduced the percentage of candidates left waiting from 28% to 11%.
- U.S.: Improved from 11% to 8%.
- Canada: Improved from 23% to 20%.
Candidate feedback example:
- “Overall, my experience was positive. The communication was timely, and the expectations were clearly explained. I appreciated the respectful and professional tone throughout the process. I believe continuing this transparent approach will leave a strong impression on future candidates as well.”
3. Technology: ATS Integration and Survey Insights
The integration of Mexico into our regional ATS has been a game-changer. It enabled:
- Unified reporting across NAM, allowing us to compare performance and identify trends.
- Streamlined candidate communication workflows, reducing manual follow-ups.
- Enhanced use of SURVALE survey data to assess candidate satisfaction and pinpoint areas for improvement.
Results:
- Mexico NPS before ATS (Jan 1 – July 7): 62.9
- Mexico NPS after ATS (July 7 – Sept 30): 73.9 (+11 point increase)
- Positive feedback themes include: timeliness of responses, professionalism and respect, clarity and structure of the process, and transparency in the selection process
Candidate feedback example:
- “Overall, the recruitment process was clear and professional. I appreciated the clarity of the communication, the adherence to the announced timelines, and the courtesy of the interviewers.”
In summary, our improvements are validated not just by numbers, but by the stories and feedback from candidates and employees. The combination of real-time data, team engagement, and candidate testimonials confirms that our changes are driving meaningful impact—and helping us live up to our commitment that every candidate deserves an answer.
Question 5: Do you use any of your candidate experience benchmark data to quantify and demonstrate financial, referral, and/or employer branding business impacts and report to your leadership team, your recruiting team, and/or your hiring managers? If yes, how? (Be as specific as possible with examples.)
We actively use candidate experience benchmark data—primarily from SURVALE surveys and Net Promoter Score (NPS) metrics—to demonstrate business impact across referrals, employer branding, and talent pipeline ROI. These insights are shared regularly with our leadership team, recruiting team, and hiring managers to inform strategy and drive continuous improvement.
1. Candidate Advocacy, Referral Impact, and Brand Loyalty
SURVALE surveys at the interview stage help us measure candidates’ willingness to refer Schneider Electric and their likelihood to reapply. These indicators reflect the strength of our employer brand and the respect shown during the recruitment process—even to those not selected.
Post-Interview Insights – External NAM Candidates YTD:
- These insights are shared with hiring managers to reinforce the importance of timely communication and respectful engagement, especially with candidates who may not be selected but still serve as brand ambassadors.
Willingness of Dispositioned External Candidates to Reapply – NAM YTD:
- This graph presents feedback from external candidates who were not selected during our recruitment process. The survey was automatically sent when a recruiter updated a candidate’s status, and it includes responses from those who chose to share their experience.
- Although these individuals were not ultimately hired, their feedback reflects a generally positive impression of the recruitment journey. Encouragingly, many indicated they would consider reapplying in the future—an affirmation of the professionalism and respect shown throughout their interactions with us. We continue to monitor this metric as a valuable indicator of how well our recruitment practices align with our values and support our employer brand.
- Candidate feedback example: “I will refer more people to work here.”
2. Inclusion and Care as a Brand Differentiator
We track candidate sentiment around one of Schneider Electric’s core values—inclusion and care—which are central to our employer brand. Candidates consistently cite our inclusive culture as a reason they applied and would consider reapplying.
2. Inclusion and Care
We track candidate sentiment around Schneider Electric’s values including inclusion and care, which is a cornerstone of our employer brand. Candidates consistently cite our inclusive culture as a reason they applied and would consider reapplying.
We ask candidates at multiple stages: “Inclusion and Care is important to us, and we want to ensure our candidates feel uniquely valued and comfortable to contribute their best during the hiring process. How would you rate your experience?”
Post Recruiter Screen – External
Post Recruiter Screen – Internal
Post Interview – External
Post Interview – Internal
3. Talent Pipeline ROI
One of the most tangible ways we measure ROI is through our Candidate Relationship Management (CRM) system, which tracks candidates open to future opportunities. By communicating respectfully and keeping candidates engaged, we’re able to:
- Build a warm talent pool for future roles
- Reduce time-to-fill and sourcing costs by re-engaging previously vetted candidates
These metrics are reported in monthly dashboards to TA leadership and included in quarterly business reviews with HR and hiring managers. They help demonstrate that candidate experience is not just a “nice to have”—it’s a strategic lever for talent attraction, brand equity, and operational efficiency.
4. NPS as a Global Performance Indicator
While we don’t yet measure direct financial ROI, we use Candidate Net Promoter Score (NPS) to assess overall experience. This score reflects whether candidates would recommend our process to others.
- Global Candidate NPS: 56.9
- Goal: Continue increasing this score through improved communication, transparency, and recruiter engagement
NPS is calculated by subtracting the percentage of detractors from promoters, divided by total respondents. It’s a key benchmark we use to track progress and align our efforts across regions.
Strategic Alignment Through Talent Attraction
The rebrand to Talent Attraction has elevated the visibility of candidate experience as a strategic business lever. It enables us to better connect SURVALE data and NPS benchmarks to broader discussions around employer branding, referral behavior, and pipeline efficiency—ensuring our leadership sees candidate experience as a measurable, impactful part of our talent strategy.
