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Calculating Accounting Turnover Costs: Step-by-Step Guide

Written by Camila Ruiz on Jul 31, 2024

What is Accounting Turnover?

Accounting turnover is how often accountants leave a company and new ones take their place. It's important for businesses to know about this because it can cost a lot of money, slow down work, and cause problems.

Defining Accounting Turnover

Here are some ways to measure accounting turnover:

Measure Description
Employee turnover rateHow many accountants leave in a year (as a percentage)
Turnover frequencyHow many times an accounting job is filled in a set time
Average tenureHow long accountants usually stay with the company

Why Accountants Leave

Knowing why accountants quit helps companies keep them longer. Here are some common reasons:

Reason Explanation
Too much workWhen there's too much to do and not enough time off
No growthWhen there's no chance to learn new things or get better jobs
Wrong skillsWhen the job doesn't match what the accountant knows how to do
Bad workplaceWhen bosses are poor or coworkers aren't nice

Understanding these reasons can help companies make their accounting teams happier and more likely to stay.

Getting Ready to Calculate

Before you start figuring out turnover costs, you need to get some information ready. This means collecting data and knowing what costs to look at.

Collecting Needed Data

Here's what you need to gather:

Data Type What It Is
How many accountants leftNumber of accountants who quit in a year (as a percentage)
Money spentCosts for hiring, training, and lost work
How long people stayAverage time accountants work at the company
Job detailsWhat accountants who left did and how much they earned

Main Cost Factors

Turnover costs come in two types: easy to count and hard to count.

Easy to count costs:

  • Hiring costs (ads, fees for hiring agencies)
  • Training costs (teaching new employees)
  • Lost work (when no one is doing the job)

Hard to count costs:

  • How it affects other workers
  • Mistakes made during changes
  • Lost know-how
  • How it affects clients

Cost TypeExamplesEasy to countHiring costs, training costs, lost workHard to countTeam mood, mistakes, lost knowledge, client issues

6 Steps to Calculate Turnover Costs

Here's how to work out the costs when accountants leave your company:

1. Figure Out Direct Replacement Costs

These are the costs of replacing someone who left. They include:

Hiring Expenses

Expense Cost Range
Job posting$200-$500
Hiring agency fees10%-20% of salary
Interviews$500-$1,000

New Employee Training

Expense Cost Range
Training materials$500-$1,000
Trainers$1,000-$2,000
Lost work time$1,000-$2,000

2. Measure Lost Productivity

This is about the work that doesn't get done when someone leaves.

Cost of Empty Positions

Cost Amount
Work not done$5,000-$10,000
Money not made$10,000-$20,000

Slower Work During Changes

Cost Amount
Getting used to new team$2,000-$5,000
Less work done$3,000-$6,000

3. Look at Hidden Costs

These are costs you might not see right away.

Team Morale Effects

Effect Cost
Less work done$5,000-$10,000
More people leaving$10,000-$20,000

Mistakes During Staff Changes

Type of Mistake Cost
Errors$2,000-$5,000
Lower quality work$3,000-$6,000

4. Account for Lost Knowledge

This is about the know-how that leaves with the person.

Value of Company Know-How

Loss Cost
Rebuilding knowledge$10,000-$20,000
Less work done$5,000-$10,000

Cost to Rebuild Expertise

Action Cost
Training$5,000-$10,000
Less work done$3,000-$6,000

5. Check Client Effects

This is about how clients are affected when someone leaves.

Possible Client Losses

Loss Cost
Less money made$10,000-$20,000
Harm to company image$5,000-$10,000

Keeping Clients During Changes

Action Cost
Extra help needed$5,000-$10,000
More support given$3,000-$6,000

6. Add Up All Costs

Here's a summary of all the costs:

Cost Type Total Range
Replacing someone$10,000-$20,000
Lost work$15,000-$30,000
Hidden costs$10,000-$20,000
Lost know-how$15,000-$30,000
Client effects$10,000-$20,000
Total$60,000-$120,000

Understanding the Numbers

Knowing how much it costs when accountants leave is important. This helps companies see how turnover affects their money and where they can save.

Total Money Impact

When an accountant leaves, it can cost a lot. Here's a breakdown of the costs:

Cost Type Amount
Replacing someone$10,000 - $20,000
Lost work$15,000 - $30,000
Hidden costs$10,000 - $20,000
Lost know-how$15,000 - $30,000
Client effects$10,000 - $20,000
Total$60,000 - $120,000

These costs include:

  • Hiring and training new people
  • Work not done when someone leaves
  • Team mood and mistakes
  • Lost knowledge
  • Possible client losses

Where to Cut Costs

Companies can save money by:

Strategy How It Helps Possible Savings
Keep employees happyFewer people leave10% - 20%
Make hiring fasterLess time without workers5% - 10%
Better trainingNew hires learn quicker5% - 10%
Share knowledgeKeep know-how when people leave5% - 10%
Take care of clientsKeep clients during changes5% - 10%

Ways to Lower Turnover Costs

Lowering turnover costs means keeping accountants happy and helping new hires do well. Here are some ways to do this:

Keeping Employees Happy

Happy employees are more likely to stay. Here's how to keep them happy:

Strategy What It Means How It Helps
Good PayPay as much as other companiesPeople stay for fair pay
Room to GrowHelp people learn new skillsPeople stay to get better
Nice WorkplaceMake work fun and friendlyPeople like coming to work
Say "Good Job"Thank people for good workPeople feel valued
Work-Life BalanceLet people have time offPeople don't get burned out

Better New Hire Training

Good training helps new hires fit in faster. Here's how to train better:

Strategy What It Means How It Helps
Full WelcomeTeach everything about the jobNew hires learn faster
Clear GoalsTell people what to doNew hires know what's expected
Ongoing HelpKeep helping after trainingNew hires feel supported
Buddy SystemPair new and old employeesNew hires learn from others
Regular TalksCheck in often Catch problems early

By doing these things, accounting teams can keep more people and save money.

Strategy Money Saved
Good Pay10% - 20%
Room to Grow5% - 10%
Nice Workplace5% - 10%
Say "Good Job"5% - 10%
Work-Life Balance5% - 10%
Full Welcome10% - 20%
Clear Goals5% - 10%
Ongoing Help5% - 10%
Buddy System5% - 10%
Regular Talks5% - 10%

Wrap-Up

Knowing how much it costs when accountants leave helps you make smart choices about your team. Here's why it's good to figure out these costs:

Reason How It Helps
Make better choicesUse real numbers to decide what to do
Save moneyFind ways to spend less
Keep more workersLearn why people leave and fix those problems

Check Costs Often

Look at turnover costs regularly to:

Action Benefit
Keep track of spendingSee where money goes and fix issues quickly
Spot patternsNotice if costs go up or down over time
Use facts to chooseHave good info when making big choices

By doing these things, you can:

  • Spend less on hiring
  • Keep your accounting team happy
  • Make your company work better

FAQs

How to calculate turnover cost?

To work out turnover cost, add up these expenses:

Expense Type What It Includes
HiringJob ads, agency fees, interview time
OnboardingTraining, materials
DevelopmentSkill-building programs
Unfilled timeOvertime or temp staff costs

Use this simple math:

(Hiring + onboarding + development + unfilled time) x (number of workers x yearly turnover %) = yearly turnover cost

This helps you see how much turnover costs your company each year.

What is the formula for calculating turnover costs?

The formula is:

(Hiring + onboarding + development + unfilled time) x (number of workers x yearly turnover %) = yearly turnover cost

Here's what each part means:

This formula helps you figure out how much it costs when workers leave and need to be replaced.

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