What makes people choose or reject an employer?

TL;DR  

Candidate and employee expectations are shifting fast, especially around speed, clarity and development. These three elements now determine whether people choose an employer, stay engaged, or decide to leave. Drawing on insights from our 2026 Nordic HR Report based on responses and opinions of over 5000 candidates, this article explores why these factors matter and explains how companies can meet them through more connected, modern talent processes. 

Overview 

1. The new expectation landscape
2. Why speed matters more than ever 
3. Why clarity is no longer just a competitive differentiator 
4. Why development drives engagement and long-term loyalty 
5. What successful companies do differently 
6. Conclusion

1. The new expectation landscape

Over the past few years, the expectations of both candidates and employees have shifted dramatically. It is no longer enough to offer a competitive salary or an attractive office environment. Today, people expect frictionless experiences, clear communication at every step, and the opportunity to grow from the moment they join.  

We can divide the candidate to employee journey into three stages – awareness, application, and joining a company. 

• In the awareness stage, candidates run on their perception of your company. Be it positive, negative or neutral, already at this stage, it is important what stories companies tell about themselves just as much as it is important what stories current and former employees or other candidates tell about them. 
  
• In the application stage, these perceptions are accompanied by other factors. Ranging from as basic as what the job ad looks like or whether they can apply quickly, to more complicated as how well and quickly the employer communicates, responds and whether the organization demonstrates professionalism throughout the process. 
  
• Once inside the company, it is important for employers to realize that expectations for candidates now turned into employees do not stop. They look for clarity around expectations, meaningful feedback, and accessible development opportunities.  

2. Why speed matters more than ever  

Speed has become a defining characteristic of a positive talent experience. Candidates expect quick, transparent communication, and they notice when it’s missing. 

When preparing our HR report, we asked over 5000 candidates about their needs and expectation. And the results show a recurring pattern: 

• 54% of candidates say lack of feedback is the most frustrating part of the application process. This frustration isn’t theoretical; it directly shapes their behavior. When processes drag or communication stall, candidates simply move on. 
  
• In fact, 22% have withdrawn from a process entirely due to poor experience, often linked to slow or unclear responses. 
• And an incredible 74% of candidates have applied for a job and received no response or feedback at all.
  

The expectation doesn’t disappear once someone becomes an employee. Inside organizations, people want timely feedback and a regular sense of direction. And the data makes this very clear.  

While many employees receive performance feedback:  

• weekly (28%) 
• or monthly (27%),  
• a notable share still only receives it once or twice a year (16%)  
• or rarely at all (9%) 

Taken together, these insights highlight a simple truth: Slow processes cost companies talent during recruitment, during onboarding, and throughout the employee lifecycle. 

3. Why clarity is no longer just a competitive differentiator

If speed determines whether candidates stay engaged, clarity determines whether they feel confident continuing the journey. Across both recruitment and employment, the report shows that people notice immediately when expectations are vague, when communication is inconsistent, or when the next step is unclear. 

During recruitment, candidates expect employers to be open about timelines, process steps, and requirements. And transparency is no longer a differentiator, but rather a baseline expectation.  

• In fact, over 60% of candidates say they expect companies to be very transparent during recruitment. 

Clarity remains just as important once someone joins the organization. New hires want to understand their role, what is expected of them, and how their success will be measured. Yet the report shows that:

• only 67% felt expectations were clear on their first day, leaving one in three employees uncertain about what to focus on when they arrive.
• The same applies to culture and values. 46% of new employees say they were only somewhat or not at all introduced to company values before starting.  

4. Why development drives engagement and long-term loyalty

Beyond speed and clarity, the strongest driver of whether people stay with an employer is development. Employees want to feel they are growing, gaining new skills and moving toward something meaningful. And when that progression stalls, engagement begins to fade. 

This year’s report highlights just how varied development experiences are inside organizations. We see from the data that clarity around goals and growth is far from guaranteed.  

• 69% of employees feel they understand their career progression opportunities well or very well, while the remaining combined 31% feel unclear or not at all informed.  
• Even more striking: 20% of employees are not sure whether their manager understands their professional goals, and 11% of employees think their manager does not understand their goals at all. 

When development conversations are infrequent or unclear, people begin to evaluate their future elsewhere. This is also reflected in the report’s findings that:

• 40% of employees are very likely to look for a new job within the next 12 months,  
• and another 24% are likely or somewhat likely to do the same. 

5. What successful companies do differently

Successful organizations stand out because they deliver all the basics we just went over in a consistent manner. They: 

• Remove friction across the talent journey (from applying to onboarding). 
• Communicate proactively, not reactively. 
• Set clear expectations before day one (role, goals, tools, culture). 
• Create regular development touchpoints instead of one-off conversations. 
• Build transparent growth paths and ensure both managers and employees understand their goals. 
• Connect all candidate and employee lifecycle stages into one coherent experience. 

Conclusion

When we look across all these insights, one message becomes clear: people choose employers who make their experience feel intentional. Speed shows respect, clarity builds trust, and development creates a sense of long-term belonging. When even one of these elements is missing, candidates hesitate, new hires feel unsure, and employees begin imagining their next opportunity elsewhere. 

The organizations that attract and retain talent in 2026 won’t necessarily be the ones with the biggest brands, but rather the ones who create consistent, connected experiences from the very first impression to the everyday moments that shape engagement. 

You can start by downloading the 2026 HR Report to check out more insights and get a better understanding of the current candidate and employee landscape: 

If you’re ready to explore how your organization can build smoother, more modern and more connected talent journeys with an all-in-one recruitment and HR platform, we’re here to help you take the next step: