Human Resources · Free tool
Cost of Employee Turnover Calculator
Turnover looks free on a headcount report and expensive everywhere else. This cost of employee turnover calculator puts a number on it: separation costs, hiring the replacement, onboarding and training, and the output lost while the new person ramps up, for HR leaders building a retention business case and finance teams sizing the risk.
- OutputCost per leaver and in total
- No sign-up
- Copy or print the result
- How it works ↓
Your entries stay in this browser. Use Fill example to see a finished page first.
What this HR tool gives you
Enter the number of leavers and the average salary of the role, then the cost of each piece per leaver. The page shows the total cost of turnover, the cost per leaver, that cost as a share of salary, and a breakdown table you can put in front of a leadership team.
What you enter
- Leavers: people who left, or the number you want to model
- Average annual salary of the role: gross salary
- Separation cost per leaver: exit administration, final pay processing, payout of unused leave
- Hiring cost per replacement: ads, agency fees, interview time; the cost per hire calculator gives this
- Onboarding and training per replacement: courses, equipment setup, trainer time
- Months to full productivity: how long a new hire takes to perform fully
- Productivity during ramp-up (%): average output over those months, for example 50
Worked example
Two leavers in a role paid $60,000. Separation $1,000, hiring $6,000 and training $3,000 per replacement. A new hire takes 4 months to full productivity at 50% output, so lost productivity is $5,000 × 4 × 0.5 = $10,000. Cost per leaver is $20,000, or 33.3% of salary; the total is $40,000.
How do you calculate the cost of employee turnover?
Lost productivity per leaver = (annual salary ÷ 12) × months to full productivity × (1 − productivity during ramp-up ÷ 100). Cost per leaver = separation + hiring + onboarding and training + lost productivity. Total cost = cost per leaver × leavers.
The share of salary is cost per leaver ÷ annual salary. Vacancy time, overtime for the remaining team and lost customers are not included, so treat the result as a floor rather than a full estimate. Type 0 for any piece that does not apply.
Tips before you use the result
- Use the cost per leaver to price retention ideas: a $2,000 programme that keeps one person in this example pays back ten times.
- Ramp-up is usually the largest piece for skilled roles; ask the hiring manager when a new hire last reached full output.
- Run frontline and specialist roles separately; their salaries and ramp-up times differ too much to average.
- Combine with the turnover rate calculator to project next year's cost: expected leavers × cost per leaver.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to replace an employee?
Estimates commonly range from a third of salary for hourly roles to one or two times salary for specialist and leadership roles. The actual figure depends on hiring channels, training needs and ramp-up time, which is why this calculator builds it from your own inputs.
What costs are included in employee turnover?
This calculator includes separation, hiring the replacement, onboarding and training, and lost productivity while the new hire ramps up. It leaves out harder-to-measure costs such as vacancy time, team overload and lost customer relationships.
How is lost productivity estimated?
It assumes a new hire costs a full salary while producing less. With 4 months to full productivity at 50% average output, half of four months of salary is effectively lost. Change the months and the percent to match the role.
Can I use it for a single resignation?
Yes. Set leavers to 1 to price one departure, which is useful when deciding on a counteroffer or a retention bonus. The cost per leaver is the most useful number in that case.
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Results depend on the figures you enter; check them against your own records before you rely on them. Last updated: October 2026 · Kurums editorial team.