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Bad Hire Calculator

Calculate the real cost of a mis-hire to your business. Adjust the inputs below to see your personalised estimate.

Your details

Total annual salary for the role

Job ads, agency fees, screening, interviewing

1 month24 months
20% (minor)50% (severe)

Estimated Cost of a Bad Hire

$23,750

That is approximately 32% of the annual salary for this role

Productivity Loss

$11,250

30% impact over 6 months

Recruitment Cost

$5,000

Direct hiring expenses

Training and Onboarding Waste

$7,500

10% of annual salary

How this is calculated

01

Productivity loss = Annual salary x productivity impact (30%) x tenure (6 months / 12)

02

Recruitment cost = Your direct hiring expenses ($5,000)

03

Training and onboarding waste = 10% of annual salary, covering induction, mentoring, and ramp-up time that delivers no return

Industry research suggests a bad hire typically costs between 30% and 150% of annual salary, depending on seniority and role.

These estimates are indicative. Actual costs vary by industry, role, and circumstances.

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