Vacancy Rate Calculator for Employees

Employee Vacancy Rate Calculator

function calculateVacancyRate() { // 1. Get DOM elements var employeesInput = document.getElementById('currentEmployees'); var vacanciesInput = document.getElementById('vacantPositions'); var resultContainer = document.getElementById('resultContainer'); var mainResult = document.getElementById('mainResult'); var totalPositionsResult = document.getElementById('totalPositionsResult'); var occupiedResult = document.getElementById('occupiedResult'); var vacantResult = document.getElementById('vacantResult'); var errorDisplay = document.getElementById('errorDisplay'); var statusMessage = document.getElementById('statusMessage'); // 2. Parse values var employees = parseFloat(employeesInput.value); var vacancies = parseFloat(vacanciesInput.value); // 3. Reset error state errorDisplay.style.display = 'none'; resultContainer.style.display = 'none'; // 4. Validate inputs if (isNaN(employees) || isNaN(vacancies)) { errorDisplay.innerText = "Please enter valid numbers for both fields."; errorDisplay.style.display = 'block'; return; } if (employees < 0 || vacancies < 0) { errorDisplay.innerText = "Numbers cannot be negative."; errorDisplay.style.display = 'block'; return; } var totalPositions = employees + vacancies; if (totalPositions === 0) { errorDisplay.innerText = "Total positions cannot be zero. Please add at least one employee or vacancy."; errorDisplay.style.display = 'block'; return; } // 5. Calculation Logic // Formula: (Vacant Positions / Total Positions) * 100 var vacancyRate = (vacancies / totalPositions) * 100; // 6. Display Results mainResult.innerText = vacancyRate.toFixed(2) + "%"; totalPositionsResult.innerText = totalPositions; occupiedResult.innerText = employees; vacantResult.innerText = vacancies; // 7. Status Interpretation var msg = ""; if (vacancyRate === 0) { msg = "Fully staffed. No vacancies."; } else if (vacancyRate = 5 && vacancyRate <= 15) { msg = "Moderate vacancy rate. Typical for many growing industries."; } else { msg = "High vacancy rate. May indicate high turnover or rapid expansion."; } statusMessage.innerText = msg; // Show container resultContainer.style.display = 'block'; }

Understanding the Employee Vacancy Rate

The Employee Vacancy Rate is a critical Human Resources (HR) metric that represents the percentage of unfilled positions within an organization compared to the total number of positions available. It provides insight into the efficiency of your recruitment process, the stability of your workforce, and the company's ability to retain talent.

While some vacancy is natural due to retirement, resignation, or company expansion, a consistently high vacancy rate can indicate underlying issues with workplace culture, compensation packages, or the talent pipeline. Conversely, a rate of 0% might suggest stagnation or a lack of organizational growth.

How to Calculate Vacancy Rate

The calculation is straightforward but requires accurate data regarding your current workforce headcount and your approved open requisitions.

The Formula:

Vacancy Rate = (Number of Vacant Positions &div; Total Number of Positions) × 100

Where:

• Vacant Positions: The number of open roles you are actively trying to fill.
• Total Number of Positions: The sum of your currently employed staff plus the vacant positions (i.e., the total number of seats in the organization, whether filled or empty).

Example Calculation

Imagine a mid-sized marketing agency:

• They currently have 85 employees working full-time.
• They have 15 open job listings they are actively recruiting for.

First, determine the total positions: 85 (Occupied) + 15 (Vacant) = 100 Total Positions.

Next, apply the formula: (15 &div; 100) × 100 = 15%.

The agency has a vacancy rate of 15%.

What is a "Good" Vacancy Rate?

There is no single number that applies to every industry, but general benchmarks can help guide your HR strategy:

• 0% – 3%: Very low. This often indicates excellent retention but could also mean the company is not growing or creating new roles.
• 4% – 10%: Healthy. This range usually accounts for natural turnover and steady growth. It suggests the recruitment team is managing to fill roles reasonably fast.
• Above 15%: High. Unless the company is a startup in a hyper-growth phase, a rate this high can strain existing employees, lead to burnout, and negatively impact productivity. It may signal a need to review retention strategies or recruitment efficiency.

Why Track This Metric?

Tracking your vacancy rate over time allows your organization to:

• Identify Trends: Seasonal spikes in vacancies can help with workforce planning.
• Measure Recruitment ROI: Determine if new hiring software or agencies are effectively reducing the time positions remain open.
• Assess Company Health: A sudden rise in the vacancy rate without planned expansion is a strong warning sign of cultural or management issues causing turnover.