Staffing

Staffing Trigger Point

See whether your current crew utilization has crossed the point where a new hire is cheaper per billable hour than running overtime.

Current utilization%, from Crew Utilization Rate if you just ran itStructural overtime threshold%, editable rule of thumbLoaded labor rate$ / hour, per workerOvertime multiplier×, e.g. 1.5 for time-and-a-halfNew hire annual cost$ / year, fully loadedStandard hours per yearhours / yearExpected new-hire utilization%, editable assumption

Hire now$5.42 / hour gap (overtime - new hire)

Overtime cost / billable hour$48.75

New hire cost / billable hour$43.33

How we got here

Overtime cost / hour = rate × multiplier = $32.5 × 1.5 = $48.75
New hire cost / billable hour = annual cost / (hours × utilization) = $65,000 / (2000 × 75%) = $43.33
Utilization is above the 90% structural-overtime threshold.

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Next Decision

Based on your results, these related decisions are available.

Hire vs. Overtime / Second Crew Break-EvenIf the trigger says consider hiring, run the full hours-based crossover for your specific demand spike.

Want to Learn More?

GuideWhen to Hire Your Next CrewAt 95% utilization, overtime costs $5.42 more per billable hour than a new hire would. A $240,000-revenue crew pays for its own startup cost in 5 months. Both numbers say the same thing at once: hire now.

Methodology

Formula: overtime cost per billable hour = loaded rate × overtime multiplier. New-hire cost per billable hour = new hire's annual cost / (standard hours × expected utilization). The recommendation combines this cost comparison with whether current utilization is above a structural-overtime threshold.

Assumption: the 90% structural-overtime threshold is a commonly cited rule of thumb, above which overtime tends to become routine rather than occasional. It is editable, not universal math.

Limitation: this is a triage/threshold engine, not a detailed crossover calculation. Once it points toward hiring, run Hire vs. Overtime / Second Crew Break-Even for the hours-based crossover on your specific demand spike.