Workforce Planning Pack

Build a staffing plan with numbers you can discuss with finance. Calculate the people your workload requires, the staff needed to cover each post, the cost of overtime versus hiring, and the fully burdened cost of an hour.

Four planning tools in one workbook

Eight tabs in one Excel file. Start Here explains the order to follow. Four tools handle the staffing calculations, Benchmarks provides reference ranges, and Summary brings the results onto one page. Notes records your assumptions and why you chose them.

• FTE and Headcount Planner. Set the working-time assumptions once: hours, holidays, PTO, sick time, utilization, and attrition. Then list each team’s annual volume and hours per unit, and the tab calculates required FTE, the staffing gap, and the hires to close it.
• Shift Staffing Planner. Set employee availability, then enter each post with the number of positions needed at once, hours per day, and days per week. The tool calculates coverage hours, the relief factor, and the employees needed to cover every post.
• Overtime vs New Hire. Enter extra hours and pay rates to compare recurring overtime with a loaded new hire. The model calculates break-even hours per week, identifies the lower-cost option, and shows three-year costs.
• Fully Burdened Labor Rate. Enter a role's salary and eight burden components, from payroll taxes to overhead allocation. The tool calculates fully loaded annual cost and hourly rate, with a breakdown by component.
• Benchmarks. Compare your results with public ranges for working time, relief factors, overtime rules, benefits as a share of pay, and labor burden by sector. Each section identifies its source.
• Summary. Review recommended headcount, the staffing gap, shift coverage, the lower-cost overtime or hiring option, and hourly labor cost on one page. Every figure updates from the four tools.

Build your staffing plan step by step

Each tool answers a different staffing question. The Summary updates as you enter your figures.

• Establish your working-time assumptions. Before using the other tools, enter hours, holidays, PTO, sick time, utilization, and attrition on FTE and Headcount Planner. Agree on these figures with finance first because they apply to every team you enter.
• Size the workload. Enter each team's annual work volume and hours required per unit, using your own system data where available. The planner calculates the staffing requirement.
• Map your shift coverage. On Shift Staffing, enter each post, the number of positions needed at once, hours per day, and days per week. Set employee availability using your actual time-off records.
• Compare the costs. Use Overtime vs New Hire for roles with recurring overtime, then calculate the Fully Burdened Labor Rate for positions you plan to add. Check every input against Benchmarks before sharing the Summary with finance.

Give finance the assumptions behind your plan

The workbook shows the assumptions behind each calculation and identifies the sources for its benchmark ranges.

• Editable planning assumptions. Working time, utilization, attrition, relief availability, and burden components are visible cells you can adjust.
• Published benchmarks. Find quit rates from BLS JOLTS, benefits as a share of pay from BLS compensation data, and cost-per-hire context from SHRM. Each range identifies its source.
• Worked examples. Every tool opens with realistic teams, posts, and a priced role to show how the calculations work.
• Replacement hiring and overtime costs. The hiring plan includes replacement hiring from attrition. The overtime model also has an optional soft-cost uplift to account for fatigue.

Who it is built for

Built for

• An operations, plant, support, or service leader preparing a headcount request using workload and cost figures.
• A lean HR team preparing a staffing case for finance using workload and cost figures.
• A consultant or fractional HR lead sizing an organization for a client.

If you are looking for

• Turnover and Absence Cost Pack. Calculate cost per departure, absence, vacancy, and retention savings.
• RIF and Restructuring Savings Planner. Calculate severance, the full one-time cost, and the payback period for a reduction.

Before you buy

What format is it and can I edit it?

One Excel workbook, eight tabs. The download contains five files: the workbook, a Start Here, the one-page Quick Reference, the product license, and a short guide to using it in Google Sheets. The workbook works in Excel or Google Sheets, and you can edit every amber input cell.

What does this include beyond free FTE templates?

This pack covers four connected staffing calculations. The FTE plan adds replacement hiring from attrition to the staffing gap. Shift coverage uses a relief factor. The overtime comparison calculates break-even hours, and the burden calculator shows the fully loaded cost of an hour. Sourced benchmarks provide context, and a one-page summary brings the results together.

Do the four tools share inputs?

Each tool has its own inputs. The FTE model uses planning utilization, shift coverage uses relief availability, and the overtime comparison uses pay rates. Every tab opens with a worked example. Enter your figures in the amber cells, and the Summary updates as you work.

Is it a subscription?

No. One-time purchase, instant download, no recurring fee.

Can I check the rates it uses?

The Benchmarks tab lists the source for each section. You can check the sources and enter your own numbers.

What is the refund policy?

Digital products are covered by a 30-day money-back guarantee. To request a refund, email support@truestephr.com or reply to your receipt within 30 days of purchase.

What happens after I buy?

Your download link appears immediately after checkout. Your receipt arrives by email with the same link. Open the Start Here tab first for the recommended order. For setup questions, email support@truestephr.com.

These are planning estimates, not legal advice. Overtime, classification, and staffing decisions carry legal weight, so confirm your assumptions against applicable law before you act on the plan.

How the download works

Your files arrive as a single ZIP download, best opened on a computer. Save it, extract it (right-click and select Extract All on Windows, or double-click on a Mac), then open the Start Here file first. PDFs open in any reader, and editable files work in Microsoft Excel or free equivalents, including LibreOffice and Google Sheets. No other software is needed. Step-by-step help for every device is at truestephr.com/pages/download-help.