Employee Turnover Cost Calculator
Calculate the true financial impact of losing and replacing staff.
(Ads, background checks, agency fees)
(Materials, software, trainer time)
Estimated Loss Results
Total Financial Impact on Business
Understanding the Cost of Employee Turnover
Employee turnover is more than just a vacant desk. It represents a significant financial drain on businesses of all sizes. When an employee leaves, the company loses historical knowledge, client relationships, and team momentum. Our Employee Turnover Cost Calculator helps you quantify these hidden expenses.
How Turnover Costs are Calculated
Economists and HR experts generally divide turnover costs into four distinct buckets:
- Recruitment Costs: Advertising the position, paying agency fees, and background checks.
- Onboarding and Training: The direct costs of materials and the "opportunity cost" of existing staff spending time teaching the new hire.
- Productivity Loss: It typically takes a new employee 6 to 9 months before they are fully ramped up to the productivity level of their predecessor. Studies suggest this loss is equivalent to roughly 25% to 50% of the annual salary.
- Separation Costs: Severance pay and the administrative time required for exit interviews and payroll processing.
The Rule of Thumb
While costs vary by industry, a common benchmark is that replacing an entry-level employee costs about 30% to 50% of their annual salary. For mid-level roles, this jumps to 150%, and for highly specialized or executive roles, the cost can reach 200% or more.
Example Calculation
Imagine a Marketing Manager with a salary of $70,000. If they leave, the calculation might look like this:
- Hiring Costs (Ads & Fees): $5,000
- Interviewing (10 hours x $50/hr): $500
- Training & Onboarding: $4,000
- Productivity Loss (25% of salary): $17,500
- Total Estimated Cost: $27,000
In this scenario, replacing a single manager costs the business nearly 40% of their annual salary.
How to Reduce Turnover Costs
Focusing on employee retention is far more cost-effective than constant hiring. Strategies include improving workplace culture, offering competitive benefits, providing clear career paths, and conducting stay interviews to understand employee needs before they decide to leave.