Leave cost
calculator.
Find out how much unmanaged employee leave is really costing your business — and how much you could save with better leave management.
Your company details
Your estimated costs
How we calculate costs
Our calculator breaks down the true cost of unmanaged leave into three categories.
Direct absence cost
The salary paid to employees during unplanned absences. Calculated as: average daily rate × unplanned absence days per year × number of employees.
Admin overhead
Time managers spend chasing leave requests, updating spreadsheets, and resolving scheduling conflicts — converted to an annual cost.
Productivity loss
The ripple effect of unplanned absences on remaining team members — estimated at 35% of the direct absence cost based on CIPD research.
Calculator questions, clearly answered
Common questions about the leave cost calculator and how the estimates are derived.
Talk to our team 01 How is the cost of unmanaged leave calculated?
The calculator estimates cost using your average salary, number of employees, and the percentage of unplanned absences. It factors in direct salary costs, lost productivity, and administrative overhead from manual tracking.
02 What counts as 'unplanned absence'?
Unplanned absences include last-minute sick days, no-shows, and leave requests made with insufficient notice. These typically cost more than planned leave because they disrupt schedules and require last-minute cover.
03 How accurate are these estimates?
The calculator provides conservative estimates based on published research from CIPD and SHRM. Actual costs vary by industry, role, and region. Use the results as a starting point for understanding the financial impact of poor leave management.
04 Does Leave Balance help reduce these costs?
Yes. By centralising leave requests, automating approvals, and giving managers real-time visibility into team availability, Leave Balance helps reduce unplanned absences and eliminate the admin overhead of manual tracking — all for a flat $10/month.