For many years, incentive trips were seen as the gold standard of reward in recruitment. A luxury destination, business-class flights, and a Champagne toast to a record quarter, these were the hallmarks of success in our industry.

We’ve certainly played our part in that tradition at Skillfinder. Over the years, we’ve taken teams to Miami, Las Vegas, on safari in South Africa, and to the beaches of Ibiza. These trips have rewarded high performance, created standout memories, and brought people together in ways that go beyond the day-to-day.

But in today’s more complex market, it’s worth asking: are these big-ticket rewards still commercially and culturally relevant? Or are they out of step with where recruitment, and the workforce are headed?
As the CFO of a recruitment business, I’m naturally focused on how we balance motivation with commercial responsibility and whether legacy reward models still deliver the value they once did.

The Financial Picture: Costs That Go Beyond the Itinerary
Incentive trips are not cheap. The direct costs -flights, hotels, meals, and entertainment are only the beginning. For businesses operating in the UK, such trips often fall under the category of “staff entertainment”, which brings tax implications, reporting requirements, and additional compliance obligations.

Of course, these are manageable with the right planning. But they do prompt a wider question: what’s the actual return? Not just the financial one, but the kind that’s harder to quantify. Are these trips genuinely effective at building loyalty, driving long-term motivation, and strengthening team culture—or have they become more of a tradition than a tool?

In a more measured economic environment, where recruitment firms are looking to make smarter, more impactful investments these types of expenses naturally prompt a second look. It’s not about cutting back for the sake of it, but ensuring every reward delivers value in the context of a changing workforce and business landscape.

At Skillfinder, we aim to apply the same thoughtful approach to internal investment that our clients expect in their own organisations. Whether we’re helping a private bank scale AML capability or supporting a fintech through digital transformation, our focus remains the same: delivering long-term value and building teams that last.

Changing Priorities: A New Definition of Success
Just as the financial outlook has shifted, so too has the makeup of the modern recruitment team. The traditional model - a singular focus on commission and all-or-nothing reward feels increasingly outdated.
We employ consultants from a wide range of backgrounds and career stages. While strong performance is always celebrated, many in our teams are equally motivated by:
• Greater flexibility and autonomy in how they work
• Recognition that’s tailored to their personal goals
• Access to professional development and certifications
• A supportive, values-driven culture
These consultants are no less ambitious than those who came before them, but their idea of a meaningful reward is often different. For some, a team night out or a flexible Friday off may be more welcome than a long weekend abroad with colleagues.
In that context, the incentive trip as a one-size-fits-all motivator starts to feel more like a legacy approach than a forward-thinking strategy.

What We’re Doing Instead
This isn’t to say that we’ve turned our backs on incentives altogether. Far from it. But we do believe they need to evolve, both to reflect the preferences of a broader workforce and to support the sustainable growth of the business.

At Skillfinder, we’re exploring a number of updated approaches to reward, including:
• Quarterly performance bonuses that recognise both financial contribution and qualitative impact
• Localised, team-based experiences that build morale without incurring disproportionate cost
• Wellbeing allowances and development budgets, giving consultants the freedom to choose what matters most to them

These models allow us to reward a greater proportion of our people in ways that feel relevant, empowering, and aligned with our long-term goals. They also offer stronger ROI, better tax efficiency, and a more inclusive approach to motivation.

Incentives That Reflect Our Culture
We often talk about the importance of values alignment in recruitment, between employer and employee, team and candidate, business and client. Incentives are no exception.
If we want to build a culture where people feel invested, trusted, and recognised for more than just their billing figures, then our reward structures have to reflect that. Recognition must be personal. Success must be sustainable. And celebration must be accessible, not just for the few at the top, but for those whose consistent efforts make long-term growth possible.
That doesn’t mean removing ambition. It means modernising how we recognise and reinforce it.

There may still be a place for the classic incentive trip, but it should no longer be the default. Incentives in recruitment haven’t disappeared; they’ve simply changed. As expectations shift and teams become more diverse, the way we recognise success needs to evolve too.

From a CFO’s perspective, it’s not just about controlling cost, it’s about ensuring every investment, including incentives, aligns with the culture we’re building and the performance we want to sustain. That means thinking more broadly about what drives people and what drives value.

The challenge - and opportunity - for firms like ours is to ensure that how we reward success evolves in line with the people we want to keep and the values we want to stand for. We are constantly monitoring the impact and effectiveness of the range of incentives we offer and refining them based on the feedback we receive.

Reward strategies should grow with your business.

Success isn’t one-size-fits-all. We partner with companies who get that. See the roles we’re recruiting for.