Workforce inputs
Example data table
| Role | Headcount | Annual salary | Bonus % | Benefits % | Employer taxes % | Overtime hours / month | Overtime rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HR Generalist | 2.00 | $24,000.00 | 5 | 15 | 10 | 0 | $0.00 |
| Recruiter | 1.00 | $28,000.00 | 8 | 16 | 11 | 0 | $0.00 |
| Operations Analyst | 1.00 | $22,000.00 | 4 | 14 | 9 | 5 | $10.00 |
Formula used
How to use this calculator
- Set the horizon and company-wide assumptions for raises, growth, and attrition.
- Enter each role’s headcount, salary, and optional bonus, benefits, and taxes.
- Add optional hiring and policy costs to reflect fully loaded workforce spend.
- Click Run simulation to see totals and breakdown above the form.
- Use Download CSV or Download PDF to export the latest results.
Budgeting with fully loaded labor cost
Workforce spend is rarely just salary. This simulator estimates total cost by combining base pay, bonuses, overtime, benefits, and employer taxes. Adding training, allowances, and contractor costs creates a realistic operating view. Model a twelve month cycle for annual planning or extend to multi year horizons for strategic staffing plans. The output shows total cost, average monthly burn, average FTE, and cost per FTE for budget owners and cost center reporting.
Role mix and compounding pay assumptions
Headcount and pay often change gradually. The model converts annual merit raises into a monthly factor and applies it across the horizon so percentage changes accumulate correctly. The same approach supports planned headcount growth, keeping role mix proportional unless you add net hires. Separate role lines reflect different pay bands, benefit rates, and tax treatments across locations, job families, or contract types, improving forecast accuracy.
Attrition, backfills, and one time hiring spend
Attrition creates both vacancy risk and replacement expense. The simulator estimates monthly replacements from annual attrition and multiplies by recruitment, onboarding, and equipment cost per hire. Replacement coverage represents hiring freezes, partial backfills, or productivity offsets. When attrition is high, one time hiring costs can become a meaningful share of spend, especially in roles with heavy equipment or compliance onboarding.
Scenario comparisons and decision thresholds
Use the same baseline roles to test policy choices. Increasing benefits by two points may cost less than raising base salaries while still improving retention. Overtime rates reveal hidden capacity constraints; a small increase in headcount may reduce recurring overtime cost. Track cost per FTE per month as a threshold metric: when it rises faster than revenue or output, consider role redesign, automation, or shifting work to contractors.
Reporting for leaders and finance partners
After running a scenario, export CSV for spreadsheets or PDF for quick briefings across teams and quarters. The breakdown supports conversations about which levers matter most: base pay, benefits, taxes, hiring, or training. Year summaries translate operational staffing choices into annualized totals. Use this report during headcount reviews to justify additions, quantify savings from reducing overtime, and document assumptions so future updates remain consistent and auditable.
FAQs
What does cost per FTE per month mean?
It is the average monthly total cost divided by the average full time equivalent headcount over the horizon. It helps compare scenarios with different staffing levels using a single, normalized metric.
How are raises and headcount growth applied?
Annual raise and growth percentages are converted into equivalent monthly factors, then compounded each month. This avoids overstating changes and reflects gradual ramping rather than a single jump.
How does the simulator handle attrition?
It estimates monthly replacements from the annual attrition rate and your replacement coverage setting. Replacement hires generate one time costs based on recruitment, onboarding, and equipment amounts you enter.
Do I enter bonuses as cash or percent?
Each role uses a bonus percentage applied to base salary. The model spreads that value evenly across months, which is useful for planning. If your bonus is paid in one period, treat it as an added allowance for that month.
Can I model different locations or benefit plans?
Yes. Add a separate role line for each location or plan variant, even if titles are similar. Set different benefit and tax percentages per line to capture local payroll rules and coverage differences.
Why do CSV and PDF use the last run?
Downloads export the most recent simulation stored for this session, so you do not lose results by refreshing. Run the simulator again before exporting whenever you change any input.