Attrition rate calculator
Work out how many people you lose in a year using your own figures. Check the assumptions before you act on the result.
Your figures
Result
- Attrition percent
- 18.46%
How it is worked out
attrition % = people who left in the period ÷ average headcount x 100
attrition_percent = people_left/average_headcount*100
What it works out
The attrition rate calculator turns records from the business into a figure for this decision: how many people you lose in a year. Use it when the responsible HR administrator and owner needs a consistent answer for this specific task. The answer uses only the values entered. Record the measurement period beside it.
What you need
| Input | Unit | Where to find it |
|---|---|---|
| People left (example: 24) | units | Take people left from the attendance sheet or payroll working papers. Confirm the eligible wage base. |
| Average headcount (example: 130) | units | Take average headcount from the attendance sheet or payroll working papers. Confirm the eligible wage base. |
Use the same item, period and measurement unit for related inputs. If a figure comes from an estimate rather than an actual record, mark it as estimated. Keep your original figures beside the result.
The formula
In plain words, calculate attrition percent using the measured inputs below. The expressions are shown without hidden rounding so they can be checked by hand.
- attrition percent:
attrition_percent = people_left/average_headcount*100.
Formula basis from the supplied taxonomy: attrition % = people who left in the period ÷ average headcount x 100. The calculation assumes the named inputs describe the same job and accounting period. Keep quantities, rates and measured units consistent.
A worked example
Illustrative example: a packaging manufacturer uses the figures in the table above. These are example inputs, not industry averages. For this example, the main figures are people left: 24, average headcount: 130.
- Attrition percent:
people_left/average_headcount*100. With the example figures,24.0 / 130.0 * 100gives 18.46 %.
How to act: Use the result to compare it with the attendance and wage register. Write down the input date and the assumption that could move most.
How to read the result
Example bands, change them for your business:
- Comfortable: Your result meets the target for this item or reporting period. Keep the calculation with its source records and compare it with the attendance and wage register.
- Watch: The result is close to your action limit, or it changed since the previous calculation. Recheck people left and average headcount using the original records.
- Act: The result breaks a limit already agreed by the manager or owner. Record the difference, name a responsible person, and agree a correction date. For an operational starting point, read [Attendance disputed at salary](/problems/attendance-disputed-at-salary) and [Attendance to salary](/processes/attendance-to-salary). Do not use these example bands as published industry benchmarks.
Copy it into a spreadsheet
Create a sheet with column A for the label and column B for the number or formula. The expressions work in Excel or Google Sheets. Keep input cells editable and result cells protected from typing.
| Cell | Label | Value or formula |
|---|---|---|
| B2 | people left | 24.000000 |
| B3 | average headcount | 130.000000 |
| B5 | attrition percent | =((B2/B3)*100) |
For any formula containing a divisor, enter a value above zero. For any monetary output, format the cell in Indian rupees. Do not replace the cells with rounded figures until the final display.
What this calculator leaves out
- Overtime rules, approved leave and statutory wage definitions can change the calculation.
- A single average can hide unusual lots, customers or weeks. Review the underlying entries before making a large decision.
- The formula does not check whether the records are complete. Check attendance, earned wages and paid hours for the same period. Do not mix staff categories without stating it.
Common mistakes
- Mixing periods. Using people left from one month with average headcount from another produces a number that looks precise but is hard to act on.
- Trusting old figures. Recheck the relevant source record before reusing last month's saved inputs. Use the result to ask which shift or job needs attention before changing pay.
- Treating an estimate as approval. Record which assumptions were entered by hand. Get the relevant owner, accountant or technician to check unusual values.
A number like this helps only if someone works it out again when things change.
Questions people ask
Where do I find the numbers for attrition rate calculator?
Take people left from the attendance sheet or payroll working papers. Confirm the eligible wage base. Take average headcount from the attendance sheet or payroll working papers. Confirm the eligible wage base. Keep all inputs from the same period.
Can I use this number to approve a purchase or payment?
Use it as a first check. Use the result to compare it with the attendance and wage register. Write down the input date and the assumption that could move most. If the result affects tax, legal duties, workplace safety or a major investment, obtain the appropriate review.
When should I calculate it again?
Recalculate when a meaningful input changes, and at the next regular review of the relevant register. Save the date and the input values so changes can be explained.