HR Unscripted…With Ben Gledhill

Trust has become one of the most valuable currencies in hiring, yet many organisations are finding it increasingly difficult to earn and maintain. In a market shaped by economic uncertainty, evolving candidate expectations and the rapid rise of AI, the hiring experience is under greater scrutiny than ever before.

In our next Unscripted with…. Ben Gledhill, a Senior Talent Leader shares his perspective on the changing recruitment landscape; why candidate trust is becoming strained and the practical steps organisations can take to strengthen it.

From candidate experience and hiring manager capability to the role of technology and recruitment partners, this conversation explores how organisations can create hiring processes that build confidence, credibility and lasting engagement.

So Ben, tell us a bit about your career and how you got to where you are….

I’m 21 years into Recruitment and counting! Started in IT agency, then moved into “Resourcing”, RPO and the new world of “Talent Acquisition”. I found a passion for Transformation, focussing on capability, experience and technology. An inspiring amateur in AI LLMs, thinking about how we focus on the reality, not the hype.

What have you seen in the hiring market over the past couple of years and what do you believe is important to hiring organisations? 

I think we have seen a massive shift in candidate behaviour, again with the introduction of gen AI, with many organisations now complaining at the sheer number of applications, often through “one-click” processes. The challenge now is not the lack of applicants; it’s how do we sift and focus on quality with often limited resources.

Secondly, with various unstable global economies, conflicts and political shifts, unfortunately employment will always take a hit and we are seeing that currently. I think overall, organisations still need to stick to the basics; know what you’re hiring; create a positive candidate experience and focus on retention.

We’ve seen a big increase in candidates venting their frustrations about interview and hiring processes.  There’s obviously a disconnect but how would you describe the current state of candidate’s trust in organisations? Is it broken, strained, or simply evolving?

Ha a very emotive question! I would say strained. I think poor hiring processes have always existed, however now with the various tools, platforms and understanding of how recruitment operates, has created a perfect storm. Also, organisations are probably a little guilty of not ensuring a joined-up approach between the aspirational and actual.

A strong EVP is powerful, however its useless if a candidate is ghosted or experiences a poor hiring journey.

Perfection isn’t realistic, especially in this socioeconomic climate but what small, genuine actions can build trust quickly?  Even when resources are tight?

Understand what your hiring journey looks like, map out A-Z, where can it go wrong, where can we improve. All that needs is a wall, some post-it notes and a pen. Further than that, look at your technology, how is it configured, can we update at no further cost?

Also, hiring manager capability is often overlooked, with plenty of free resource available. Tactical change with strategic impact doesn’t have to be expensive, but can transform your candidate experience, ultimately building trust.

Finally, and I have always lived by this rule of thumb, don’t be scared to utilise and more importantly Trust recruitment partners. They don’t just fill critical roles; they can also provide insight and intel that can be valuable when used correctly.

We’re seeing some Interview processes getting longer and more complex. What’s the tipping point where this starts to erode trust, and for you, what would a more ‘trust‑first’ process look like?

This is a really tough one, where being pragmatic I can see both sides. Hiring decisions are becoming more and more critical which is resulting in extra steps being added, whilst candidates are getting more and more frustrated with what is being asked of them, eventually leading to “What more can you find out about me?”.

I think hiring organisations have to try and cut through subjectivity and remember that any processes and resulting decisions have to be fair, objective, and representative of the role they are selecting for. Only use them hoops (to jump through) when absolutely necessary.

Do you believe the hiring process has become longer and more complex? How is this affecting candidate trust and engagement?

I think it is a perception, however, for as long as I have been involved in hiring, there has always been multiple steps, some which candidates have deemed to be unnecessarily too complex.

The difference today is that information is much more readily available, and channels for sharing opinion and experience are much more widely used, whether it be LinkedIn, Glassdoor or TikTok. Adding further to this, Edelmen’s trust barometer tells us that people wide trust continues to suffer, so candidates trust and engagement is already low, even before the hiring process commences.

It’s critically important that organisations continually evaluate how they assess: does it bring the results that we need, and will it promote or detract our employer brand and overall candidate experience.

Final Takeaway…..  If an organisation wants to rebuild candidate trust but doesn’t know where to start, what would you say is the single most important thing they should focus on?

I think I would go back to really understanding how you hire. If you don’t truly understand where trust might fall down, how can you rebuild it?