Employee Turnover Rate Calculator
6 leavers out of an average 50 staff.
How the employee turnover rate calculation works
Average headcount = (start + end) ÷ 2
48 staff at the start of the year and 52 at the end gives an average of 50.
Turnover = leavers ÷ average headcount
6 people left, so 6 ÷ 50 = 12% turnover for the year.
Annualize shorter periods
A 2% monthly rate is roughly 24% a year. Multiply monthly by 12 or quarterly by 4.
Count every separation
Include resignations, dismissals and layoffs. Track voluntary leavers separately if you want to see who is choosing to go.
Worked example. A business started the year with 48 employees and ended with 52, an average of 50. Six people left, so the annual turnover rate is 6 ÷ 50 = 12%.
Employee Turnover Rate FAQ
How do I calculate employee turnover rate?
Divide the number of employees who left by the average headcount for the period, then multiply by 100.
What is the average employee turnover rate?
The BLS Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) puts the total separations rate for all US nonfarm employers at 3.2% a month in August 2026 (seasonally adjusted, preliminary). Private employers were at 3.5%. These are monthly rates, so compare them with this calculator's one-month result.
What is a good employee turnover rate?
It depends on your industry. In August 2026 JOLTS monthly separations rates were 5.0% in leisure and hospitality, 4.9% in accommodation and food services, 4.4% in retail trade and 4.1% in professional and business services (seasonally adjusted, preliminary). Being below your industry's rate, and lower than your own past years, is a good sign.
What is the employee retention rate formula?
Retention rate = (employees at the start − those of them who left) ÷ employees at the start × 100. With 48 staff at the start and 6 leavers, retention is 42 ÷ 48 = 87.5%. New hires are left out, which is why retention is not simply 100% minus turnover.
Is attrition rate the same as turnover rate?
The math is the same: leavers ÷ average headcount. Some employers use attrition only for people who leave and are not replaced, such as retirements or roles that are cut, so say which definition you use when you report it.
How do I calculate monthly turnover?
Use the leavers and headcounts for that month. Multiply the result by 12 for a rough annual rate.
What is the difference between turnover and retention?
Turnover counts who left against average headcount. Retention counts how many of the staff you started with are still there.
Sources: BLS: Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS), total separations rates, August 2026