Absence Cost Calculator

67%* of Employers Don't Know
Their Absence Costs. Do You?

Calculate the financial impact of employee absences on your bottom line, including direct costs, replacement expenses, and productivity losses. Our calculator helps you understand the true cost of absence and identify opportunities for improvement.

Absence Cost Calculator

employees
hours
£/hour

7.8 days
per employee per year
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% of employees
£/hour
% of absentees

Estimated savings
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How Much is Absence Costing Your Business

Absence is a real and unavoidable cost, but many businesses underestimate its financial impact. Industry reports suggest an average absence cost of £781 per employee per year (XpertHR, 2022), but in reality, the cost varies significantly depending on company size, absence levels, and industry factors.

At Honeydew, we know that absence rates can be much higher in larger organisations, often reaching 5% or more, pushing the annual cost per employee well above £1,200. The key question is: what is it costing your business?

Use our Absence Cost Calculator to find out your actual cost of absence and take control of workforce productivity.

What Drives Absence Costs?

Direct Costs – The Immediate Financial Impact

The direct cost of absence varies across sectors and job roles. Consider:

Replacement Staff Costs

Industries like security or healthcare must immediately fill shifts, often at a premium.

Overtime & Productivity Loss

When roles aren’t backfilled, existing staff take on extra workload, leading to burnout and reduced efficiency.

Sick Pay & Compliance Costs

In some cases, businesses must cover statutory sick pay while also managing compliance requirements.

Our calculator lets you adjust key variables to estimate the total direct cost of absence to your business.

Indirect Costs – The Hidden Expenses

Beyond the immediate financial impact, absence has long-term business consequences:

Admin & Management Time

HR teams and managers spend time recording, tracking, and addressing absence issues.

Missed Deadlines & SLA Penalties

Unplanned absences can lead to delayed projects, unmet client expectations, and financial penalties.

Employee Morale & Productivity

High absence rates put pressure on remaining staff, leading to reduced engagement, lower productivity, and increased turnover.

The real cost of absence goes beyond salary figures – it affects your entire organisation. Try the calculator to learn more.

Reduce Absence Costs with Engage

Absence tracking shouldn't just be about numbers - it should be about solutions.

Smarter Absence Management

Track absences in real-time to minimise disruption, maintain continuity, and ensure critical roles are always covered.

Clearer Planning & Communication

Automate updates and team notifications to ease the pressure on remaining staff and keep operations running smoothly.

Insights That Drive Wellbeing

Use absence data to uncover trends, support employee wellbeing, and take proactive steps to reduce long-term absence.

Start optimising absence management today - Book a demo

* Source: 2016 CIPD Absence Management Survey