📊 Attrition Rate Calculator
Calculate employee attrition rate and estimate the cost and impact of workforce reduction.
Attrition vs Turnover
Attrition = positions not filled after departure. Turnover = positions that are filled. Attrition shrinks the workforce; turnover maintains it. Both are costly: hiring + training + lost productivity typically equals 50–150% of annual salary.
The True Cost of Employee Attrition
The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) estimates replacement costs at 50–200% of a departing employee's annual salary, depending on role complexity and seniority. For a $65,000 employee, replacement costs of $32,500–$130,000 include recruiting fees, background checks, onboarding, training, productivity loss during the learning curve, and the impact on team morale and customer relationships. At 15% annual attrition across a 200-person company at $65K average salary, you're spending $1.5M+ per year on employee replacement.
Voluntary vs Involuntary Attrition
Not all attrition is bad. Involuntary attrition (terminations for cause, layoffs) and voluntary retirements may be desirable. The most important metric is voluntary attrition of high performers — the employees who chose to leave and whom you wished had stayed. Track regrettable attrition separately from total attrition for meaningful insight.
People Also Ask
The US average voluntary turnover rate is approximately 12–15% annually. Below 10% is generally considered healthy; above 20% indicates a significant engagement or management problem. Tech companies often see higher attrition (15–25%) due to competitive recruiting. Always compare to your industry benchmark.
The terms are often used interchangeably. Some practitioners distinguish them: attrition specifically refers to positions that are not backfilled (headcount shrinks), while turnover refers to positions that are refilled. In most HR usage and this calculator, both terms mean the rate at which employees leave.
The most impactful interventions: competitive compensation benchmarked annually, strong manager-employee relationships (exit surveys show manager quality is the #1 voluntary departure reason), clear career advancement paths, flexible work arrangements, and stay interviews with high performers before they start looking.