Cost of bad hire calculator
Estimate the real cost in your own currency
Enter the salary, role level, time to exit, and performance level to estimate what a bad hire is likely costing the business.
Tool result
Result
What it does
Make the cost visible before it gets written off as just part of hiring
A poor-fit hire rarely costs only the salary already paid. There is usually additional drag from management time, lost productivity, replacement hiring, and the gap before the next person is productive.
This tool rolls those pieces into one planning estimate so the business case for improving process quality is easier to see.
What this tool includes
- Salary waste before action is taken
- Replacement and rehiring spend
- Vacancy and ramp-up cost
- Manager and team drag estimate
Related HR tools
Explore other tools if you want to keep building out the wider workflow around this task.
Frequently asked questions
Is this an exact finance number?
No. It is a planning model designed to show the likely scale of the cost.
Why include manager and team drag?
Because weak-fit hires usually consume time well beyond salary and direct recruitment spend.
Can I use monthly salary?
Yes. The tool annualises it before running the estimate.
Can I use this result as a final policy or legal decision?
No. Use the result as a practical planning estimate, then review it against your policy, legal requirements, and the specific employee or hiring context.
Is this tool designed for UK HR scenarios?
Yes. Where the calculation relies on statutory assumptions, the current version is designed around UK employment and HR conventions.
