Can I Afford to Hire Someone?
Hiring your first (or next) team member is a bid decision. It’s not just their salary you need to think about, it’s National Insurance, pension contributions, software, training, equipment, and the extra sales needed to make it all stack up.
This simple calculator helps you work out:
The true annual cost of hiring someone
The extra revenue you’ll need to cover that cost
The monthly and weekly sales target to break even on that hire
It’s not a replacement for detailed forecasting, but it’s a great way to sense-check whether now is the right time to grow your team.
How to use this calculator
Enter the annual salary you’re considering.
Check the employer NI and pension contribution percentages (you can use the defaults if you’re unsure).
Add any extra annual costs (software, training, equipment, uniform, benefits, etc.).
Add your average gross profit margin (for most service businesses this is often 50–80%).
The calculator will estimate:
Total annual cost of the new hire
Extra annual revenue needed to cover that cost
Extra monthly and weekly sales needed at your profit margin
Use this as a starting point, then refine the numbers with your accountant or during a Fix & Grow session.
Need help making the decision?
If you’re unsure whether you’re ready to hire or what role to bring in first, we can help you.