The Cost of Replacing an Employee and the Role of Financial Wellness (2024)

The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) reported that on average it costs a company 6 to 9 months of an employee's salary to replace him or her. For an employee making $60,000 per year, that comes out to $30,000 - $45,000 in recruiting and training costs.

Employees leave organizations for a multitude of reasons.

Some employees find better paying jobs while others go back to school. Sometimes it’s their choice and other times they follow a spouse who's been transferred to another state.

Whatever the reason, it has been well documented that employee turnover is costly and disruptive.

According to Robert Half, an American human resource consulting firm, 38% of employees leave their jobs as a result of “inadequate salary and benefits.”1

"The stronger hiring climate today means employees who don't feel well compensated may be more willing to look for a new, better-paying job," said Robert Half senior executive director Paul McDonald. "Managers should regularly benchmark salaries against those of other companies in their region and industry to ensure they are at or above market standards. While many factors contribute to turnover, competitive pay and benefits can be the difference when it comes to retaining skilled talent."

With the mounting pressures of everyday personal finances, it’s no surprise why better paying jobs can seem more attractive. In fact, a study conducted by the American Psychological Association (APA) cites money as the biggest cause of stress.2

It’s a no brainer. A higher paying job is the solution to getting rid of all that stress, right? Not so fast.

According to a survey conducted by Bankrate.com, roughly three-quarters of Americans are living paycheck-to-paycheck regardless of income.3

In another survey published by Suntrust, one-third of respondents cited insufficient financial discipline as the reason they don’t meet with financial goals.4

If roughly 75% employees are living paycheck-to-paycheck regardless of income and 33% cite insufficient financial discipline as the reason for not meeting their goals, is it safe to assume that money is not the problem? And if money is not the problem, then how can employers keep employees from leaving for money purposes?

Many companies have turned to financial wellness as an employee benefit. Not only does a financial wellness program enhance a company’s benefits package, it also educates employees on how to manage their money wisely.

Financial wellness is a great option for lowering employee financial stress.

Lowering financial stress is a key factor in achieving a happier and more engaged workforce.

Additionally, studies have shown that financial wellness can influence many positive behavior changes.

By helping employees manage their finances and meet their goals, employers can help lower stress and improve their chances at retaining employees who leave for better pay.

However, since financial wellness is a fairly new concept, many employers balk at the idea of adding another expense to their company’s overhead.

It’s a fair concern but one that can be refuted through simple math.

The Cost of Attrition

High turnover rates impact company culture, productivity, engagement, and overhead. The attrition rate is the term used for the amount of money employers lose due to employees leaving.

Because no two employees make the same amount, the cost of attrition has to be calculated on an individual basis, but using averages can still give you a ballpark estimate of the true cost of employee turnover.

Yearly turnover rates can be calculated by taking the number of separations during any given year divided by the average number of employees during that year.

Example: 100 [(10 employee separations) / (50 average employees)] = 20% turnover rate

Research by SHRM suggests that replacement costs can be as high as 50%-60% with overall costs ranging anywhere from 90%-200%.

Example: If an employee makes $60,000 per year then it costs an average of $30,000 - $45,000 just to replace that employee and roughly $54,000 - $120,000 in overall losses to the company.

Financial Wellness Programs

The cost of financial wellness programs varies depending on scope and size.

Even if an employer spends $50,000 per year to implement a financial wellness program, they are still spending less than what it takes to replace a single employee.

In this case, a successful program would need to retain just two employees to be considered a success.

There’s no question that even the most rudimentary financial wellness program can yield a significant return on investment.

In a world where employee turnover is becoming more and more common, financial wellness programs are a no-brainer.

Download Enrich's complete guide to Calculating the ROI for Employee Financial Wellness

1 -http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/why-good-employees-quit-327434002.html

2 -http://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2015/02/money-stress.aspx

3 -http://www.bankrate.com/

4 - https://www.suntrust.com/personal-banking

The Cost of Replacing an Employee and the Role of Financial Wellness (2024)

FAQs

What is the cost of replacing an employee and the role of financial wellness? ›

If you were to ask the financial wellness platform Enrich for its opinion, they would tell you on average, it costs a company 6 to 9 months of an employee's salary to replace him or her. For an employee making $60,000 per year, that comes out to $30,000 – $45,000 in recruiting and training costs.

What is the cost of replacing an employee? ›

Research by SHRM suggests that replacement costs can be as high as 50%-60% with overall costs ranging anywhere from 90%-200%. Example: If an employee makes $60,000 per year then it costs an average of $30,000 - $45,000 just to replace that employee and roughly $54,000 - $120,000 in overall losses to the company.

Why is it so expensive for companies to replace workers? ›

Employee turnover is so expensive because organizations pay direct exit costs when an employee leaves and incur additional costs to recruit and train new hires.

Why is financial wellness important for employees? ›

Less Employee Absenteeism

A financial wellness benefit helps your employees take control of their money and reduce their financial stress. Instead of worrying about your employees and whether or not they'll show up to work, you'll see them come in every day with a smile on their face.

How much do employers spend on financial wellness? ›

Cost of a Comprehensive Financial Wellness Program

The cost of adding a comprehensive financial wellness plan varies, depending on the scope of the program. A recent survey shows that 43 percent of employers spend less than $50 per employee per year; however, 21 percent spend more than $50013.

What is replacement cost in financial reporting? ›

Replacement costs are the cash outlay that the business has to pay to replace an old asset at the existing market price. The price charged to replace the old asset with the new one having the same value is the replacement cost.

Why does it cost to hire a new employee? ›

An employer needs to not only consider an employee's base salary and benefits, but also the payroll taxes they have to pay, any equipment that the employee needs to perform their job, any expensive training materials the employee needs, and the loss of productivity while the employee is learning or being trained.

Is it more expensive to hire a new employee or keep an existing one? ›

In short, when you retain an employee, your costs are much lower than hiring a new one. Your expenses are consistent: you pay for their salary, benefits, ongoing training and development, and raises. Hiring a new employee incurs a slew of additional costs that you won't recoup for years to come.

How do you calculate the cost of training a new employee? ›

Training cost per employee formula. Employee training cost is typically calculated with one simple formula: The total cost of training divided by the number of participants.

What is the biggest cost to an employer? ›

Labor costs can account for as much as 70% of total business costs; this includes employee wages, benefits, payroll and other related taxes.

How do you replace an employee? ›

What to When You Need to Replace an Employee
  1. Decide When You'll Let the Employee Go. ...
  2. Inform Only a Small Group of Staffers. ...
  3. Create a Strategic Plan. ...
  4. Interview Candidates Off-Site. ...
  5. Work With a Staffing Partner to Replace the Employee.
Dec 28, 2016

Why don t companies want to pay employees more? ›

Why are companies afraid to raise wages? Economists often point to the “Sticky Wages” effect. As economists teach in school, management hates to raise wages because once you raise them, it's hard to take them back down. And in the inevitable time of a recession or slowdown, you're stuck with a high cost of labor.

What is the impact of financial wellness? ›

If your financial wellness is low and you have high financial stress, you're twice as likely to have poor overall health. Experts also found that you're four times as likely to get some sort of condition. Often, these new health issues lead people to spend even more money on medical needs.

What is employee financial wellness? ›

Financial wellness (or financial wellbeing) refers to a person's overall financial health and the absence of money-related stress. It's the result of successful expense management. Financial wellness is an important part of overall employee wellbeing which consists of physical, mental, and financial wellness.

Why does financial wellness matter? ›

In summary, financial wellness is the state of being financially secure, both in the short-term and long-term. It involves budgeting, saving, managing debt, and developing financial literacy. Prioritizing financial wellness can help you avoid both the physical and mental effects of financial stress.

What are the replacement costs of Labour turnover? ›

Replacement costs arise due to high labour turnover. Examples of replacement costs are: a) Cost of advertising, recruitment, selection, training & induction. b) Abnormal breakage and scrap, extra wages & overheads etc., caused as a result of in efficient and inexperienced newly recruited workers.

How much do employee benefits typically add to the average organization's payroll costs? ›

The average civilian worker costs an employer $42.48 per hour in total compensation — 31% on benefits and 69% on wages.

Do employee wellness programs save money? ›

In a study done on the ROI of employee wellness programs, Harvard researchers conclude that, on average, for every dollar spent on employee wellness, medical costs fall $3.27 and absenteeism drops $2.73. This is a 6-to-1 return on investment.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Frankie Dare

Last Updated:

Views: 5979

Rating: 4.2 / 5 (73 voted)

Reviews: 88% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Frankie Dare

Birthday: 2000-01-27

Address: Suite 313 45115 Caridad Freeway, Port Barabaraville, MS 66713

Phone: +3769542039359

Job: Sales Manager

Hobby: Baton twirling, Stand-up comedy, Leather crafting, Rugby, tabletop games, Jigsaw puzzles, Air sports

Introduction: My name is Frankie Dare, I am a funny, beautiful, proud, fair, pleasant, cheerful, enthusiastic person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.