Hiring isn’t just about filling vacancies. It’s about building trust. And trust starts long before a candidate signs a contract.

At GAIL’s, we’re growing fast. New locations, new people, new communities. But through it all, one thing has become very clear to us: every person who interacts with our hiring process, whether they get the job or not, walks away with a story. That story shapes not only whether they might work here, but whether they shop here, refer friends here, or speak positively about our brand at all.

Candidate experience isn’t a transaction, it’s an ecosystem. And that’s why we approach it as a flywheel, not a funnel.

GAIL’s candidate experience flywheel

The candidate experience flywheel: A continuous loop of brand equity

1. Attract & Engage: Show people who we really are

We start by telling an honest story. Not a polished, corporate version of GAIL’s, but the reality: the energy, the pace, the warmth, and the expectations.

If it’s not for you, that’s fine. In fact, we want people to opt out early if this isn’t their fit. Because when candidates hit “apply,” we want them doing it fully informed and excited for what’s ahead.

Our careers site reflects that: real voices, real team members, real culture. Video content has helped us go even deeper, allowing candidates to picture themselves here before they even step into a bakery.

Self-selection isn’t a risk. It’s the filter that protects your culture.

2. Screen & Filter: Guided by data, grounded in people

Once applications come in, we rely on tech to support consistency, not replace judgment. Tools help us surface behavioural fit, potential, and alignment far better than outdated CVs ever could.

We track candidate experience closely. Every applicant receives a survey asking simple but powerful questions:

• Did you feel looked after?

• Did you feel seen for who you are?

• Did we communicate clearly, even if you weren’t selected?

That feedback isn’t for compliance, it’s an ongoing pulse check on how well we’re living our values.

3. Hire or Stay Connected: Turning past candidates into future hires

Not everyone will get the role they apply for. But if they were a good fit for GAIL’s, just not right now, we want to stay connected.

That’s why we’re exploring live talent pools, allowing hiring managers to search across previously engaged candidates by geography, role type, and behavioural signals.

Instead of starting from zero for every vacancy, we’re building a warm audience of people who have already said:

“GAIL’s feels like the right kind of place for me.”

4. Onboard & Deliver the Promise: Make the holiday match the brochure

Here’s the hardest part: delivering on what we sold.

The first 90 days are critical. If someone leaves within that period, it’s usually because the reality didn’t match what we promised. That’s not a talent issue, that’s a broken promise.

This is where candidate experience becomes employee experience. Our onboarding, internal communications, and manager support systems are designed to pick up where TA leaves off and ensure new hires feel anchored from day one.

5. Grow & Mobilise: Talent development is part of talent acquisition

Most people in hospitality don’t enter the industry with a 10-year career plan. But many of them could have one, if we invest in them properly.

We’re committed to internal mobility, giving entry-level talent clear visibility into what’s possible. Our internal careers site ensures opportunities aren’t hidden, and managers actively spot potential and nurture it early.

The dream isn’t just to hire great people, it’s to help them become our next leaders.

6. Refer & Advocate: Turn great experience into brand momentum

When people feel respected and valued through the hiring process, even if they aren’t hired, they become part of the brand’s story.

• Former candidates become customers.

• Team members refer friends because they trust the process.

• Word spreads: GAIL’s isn’t just a good place to eat and drink, it’s a good place to work.

This flywheel creates self-sustaining momentum, feeding both our customer base and our talent pipeline.

Why this approach matters

If the holiday doesn’t match the brochure, people leave. But it’s not just your hires. Every candidate shares their story: publicly or privately.

This is why candidate experience can’t live at the top of the funnel. It echoes through customer loyalty, employee engagement, internal mobility, and ultimately, business performance.

For us, metrics like candidate NPS aren’t vanity stats. They are real-time indicators of whether we're building long-term trust, or eroding it.

What You Can Do Next

• Stop treating candidate experience as a compliance checklist. It’s a brand engine.

• Invest in real-time feedback loops. Ask people how they felt, not just what they clicked.

• Build living talent pools. Every great candidate you interact with should stay in your ecosystem.

• Make onboarding the true handover from TA to People & Culture. That’s where promise becomes reality.

At GAIL’s, we’re not just recruiting for open roles.
We’re building a workforce that grows with us, stays with us, and advocates for us. That’s the power of a real talent flywheel.

This blog was written by Jordan Moore, Head of Talent Acquisition at GAIL’s - one of inploi’s champion clients and a leading voice in high-volume, people-first hiring. Jordan’s perspective forms part of an ongoing series spotlighting the remarkable work TA and HR leaders are doing to redefine candidate experience. These insights will contribute to inploi’s upcoming Candidate Experience KPI Report, launching later this year.