Knowledge

HR Metrics

By Redaktion techport.ai, HR-Beratung · Last updated on 21 August 2026

A metric is only a metric if it is calculated consistently in every department. A turnover rate that divides departures by headcount at year-end in production and by average headcount in administration is not a metric, but a point of contention. This collection contains the metrics we use in projects, with their formulas, units, and interpretations that explain what a value means and what it does not.

It is intended as a reference: adopt these definitions in your HR system, and every analysis will start with the content rather than the calculation method. We deliberately only provide target values as a guide, as they depend on the industry, region, and company size.

Strategy and Planning

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Time to Fill Critical Roles

Formula: Sum of calendar days from vacancy start date to new hire's start date, divided by the number of critical roles filled during the period
Unit: Days
How to read it: Measures the risk of workforce planning where it hurts most. Only for roles defined as critical. Values over 180 days indicate a lack of succession planning or a talent pool.

Succession Coverage

Formula: Number of critical roles with at least one successor ready immediately or within twelve months, divided by the number of critical roles, multiplied by 100
Unit: Percent
How to read it: The most important metric for succession planning. Below 50 percent, the key personnel risk is an issue for senior management.

Age Risk of Critical Roles

Formula: Number of incumbents in critical roles aged 58 or over, divided by the number of incumbents in critical roles, multiplied by 100
Unit: Percent
How to read it: Shows how much key knowledge will leave the company within the next five to eight years. Basis for knowledge transfer and transition models.

Employees per HR Full-Time Equivalent

Formula: Average number of employees per year, divided by full-time equivalents in HR, including payroll
Unit: Ratio
How to read it: In mid-sized companies, values are typically between 60 and 120. A low value is neither good nor bad; it indicates how much routine work is still handled by people rather than by the system.

Personnel Costs in Relation to Value Added

Formula: Total personnel costs, divided by gross value added, multiplied by 100
Unit: Percent
How to read it: The metric that connects HR with the language of senior management. Meaningful only when comparing over time and within the industry.

Recruiting

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Time-to-Approve

Formula: Calendar days from receipt of HR requisition to documented approval, averaged per period
Unit: Days
How to read it: The invisible part of the time to hire. More than five days indicates that the approval process is not running efficiently within the system.

Time-to-Fill

Formula: Calendar days from job advertisement publication to offer acceptance, averaged per period
Unit: Days
How to read it: Measures the performance of sourcing and selection. Evaluate separately by job family; an average across all positions conceals bottlenecks.

Time-to-Start

Formula: Calendar days from offer acceptance to first day of work
Unit: Days
How to read it: Depends on notice periods and is only controllable to a limited extent. What happens during this time is crucial; see Pre-Boarding.

Cost per Hire

Formula: Sum of all external and internal recruiting costs in the period, divided by the number of hires
Unit: Euros
How to read it: Include internal costs, otherwise active sourcing appears expensive and job advertisements cheap. Evaluate per channel.

Channel Yield

Formula: Number of hires via a channel, divided by the number of applications via that channel, multiplied by 100
Unit: Percent
How to read it: Shows which channel delivers and which only generates effort. Additionally, consider retention after twelve months per channel.

Offer Acceptance Rate

Formula: Number of accepted offers, divided by the number of offers made, multiplied by 100
Unit: Percent
How to read it: Below 80 percent indicates problems with salary, speed, or the experience during the selection process. Record reasons for rejection.

Retention Rate after twelve months

Formula: Number of hires from a cohort who are still employed after twelve months, divided by the number of hires in that cohort, multiplied by 100
Unit: Percent
How to read it: The actual quality metric for recruiting. Evaluate per channel and selection process; then you will learn what predicts success for your organisation.

Onboarding and Development

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Early Turnover

Formula: Number of exits with less than twelve months of service, divided by the number of hires in the preceding twelve months, multiplied by 100
Unit: Percent
How to read it: The gauge for onboarding and selection quality. Distinguish by reason for termination: employer or employee.

Time-to-Productivity

Formula: Average number of days to reach the productivity threshold defined with the department per job family
Unit: Days
How to read it: The threshold must be defined per job family, for example, independent processing of a standard procedure. Without a definition, the key figure is worthless.

Mandatory training completed on time

Formula: Number of employees with all due training and evidence within the validity period, divided by the number of employees with training obligations, multiplied by 100
Unit: Percent
How to read it: Anything below 100 percent represents a liability risk. This key figure belongs in the monthly report, not in audit preparation.

Development review coverage

Formula: Number of employees with a documented development review in the last twelve months, divided by the number of employees, multiplied by 100
Unit: Percent
How to read it: Measures whether the process is being implemented. Evaluate per manager, as this is usually more meaningful than the overall value.

Training hours per employee

Formula: Sum of documented learning hours per year, divided by the average number of employees
Unit: Hours
How to read it: An input metric, not an outcome metric. Only meaningful in conjunction with changes in competence assessment.

Remuneration and Retention

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Fluctuation rate

Formula: Number of leavers in the period, divided by the average number of employees in the period, multiplied by 100
Unit: Percent
How to read it: Always calculate with the average headcount and differentiate between voluntary and involuntary leavers. Evaluate per department, job family, and length of service.

Unadjusted pay gap

Formula: Average gross hourly pay of men minus average gross hourly pay of women, divided by average gross hourly pay of men, multiplied by 100
Unit: Percent
How to read it: The key figure reported under the Entgelttransparenz-Richtlinie (Pay Transparency Directive), per group of equivalent work and for all pay components. If it exceeds five percent without explanation, a joint pay assessment follows.

Adjusted pay gap

Formula: Remaining pay difference by gender after statistical control of level, experience, working hours, and other objective criteria
Unit: Percent
How to read it: Shows which part of the gap cannot be explained. This is the part you would have to justify in court.

Compa-Ratio

Formula: Individual salary, divided by the midpoint of the associated salary band, multiplied by 100
Unit: Percent
How to read it: Values between 80 and 120 are within the band. Systematic deviations by gender, age, or department indicate unequal treatment.

Benefit Utilisation Rate

Formula: Number of employees who used an offering during the year, divided by the number of eligible individuals, multiplied by 100
Unit: Percent
How to read it: Evaluate for each offering. Below 20 percent means: unknown, unsuitable, or too cumbersome.

Absence Rate

Formula: Sum of days lost due to incapacity to work, divided by the sum of scheduled working days, multiplied by 100
Unit: Percent
How to read it: Evaluate only in aggregate and without diagnoses. Noteworthy areas are an occasion for discussions about working conditions, not about individuals.

Survey Participation Rate

Formula: Number of responses submitted, divided by the number of invited employees, multiplied by 100
Unit: Percent
How to read it: Decreasing participation means the workforce no longer believes in consequences. This metric measures trust in the process.

Mobility and Leavers

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Internal Placement Rate

Formula: Number of internally filled positions, divided by the number of positions filled during the period, multiplied by 100
Unit: Percent
How to read it: Below 20 percent indicates a lack of visibility or managers who are unwilling to let go. Evaluate separately for leadership positions.

Return-to-Work Rate After Parental Leave

Formula: Number of employees still employed twelve months after the end of parental leave, divided by the number of returnees, multiplied by 100
Unit: Percent
How to read it: Measures whether return to work and work-life balance are functioning. Low values are costly because experienced employees leave.

Timely BEM Offers

Formula: Number of timely documented BEM (Betriebliches Eingliederungsmanagement - workplace reintegration management) offers, divided by the number of employees with more than six weeks of incapacity to work in twelve months, multiplied by 100
Unit: Percent
How to read it: Anything below 100 percent is a risk in the unfair dismissal process. This metric shows whether the deadline is recognised in the system.

Re-employment Rate

Formula: Number of hires of former employees, divided by the number of hires during the period, multiplied by 100
Unit: Percent
How to read it: Returnees are quickly productive and inexpensive to recruit. This metric measures the quality of offboarding and alumni engagement.

HR Data and Systems

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Master Data Quality

Formula: Number of personal data records without violation of defined quality rules, divided by the number of active personal data records, multiplied by 100
Unit: Percentage
How to read it: Rules must be defined: mandatory fields completed, organisational assignment valid, no duplicates, consistency with payroll and directory service. Below 95 per cent, any analysis becomes vulnerable.

Self-service rate

Formula: Number of processes completed by employees or managers themselves in the system, divided by the total number of processes of this type, multiplied by 100
Unit: Percentage
How to read it: Evaluate by process type. For standard processes such as address changes or holiday requests, over 90 per cent is achievable.

First-contact resolution rate

Formula: Number of enquiries answered conclusively without escalation, divided by the number of enquiries, multiplied by 100
Unit: Percentage
How to read it: The central key figure for the HR service desk. Low values indicate gaps in the knowledge base or responsibilities.

Completeness of time recording

Formula: Number of employees with complete time recording for the month, divided by the number of employees subject to recording, multiplied by 100
Unit: Percentage
How to read it: Since the Federal Labour Court's (Bundesarbeitsgericht) decision in 2022, the target value is 100 per cent. This key figure shows where recording is not being implemented.

Co-determination and Compliance

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Processing time for reports

Formula: Calendar days from receipt of a report to feedback on measures, on average and as a maximum
Unit: Days
How to read it: The Whistleblower Protection Act (Hinweisgeberschutzgesetz) requires feedback within three months. The maximum is more important than the average.

Systems with valid works council agreement

Formula: Number of HR-relevant systems covered by a current works council agreement (Betriebsvereinbarung), divided by the number of HR-relevant systems, multiplied by 100
Unit: Percentage
How to read it: Any system without an agreement can be stopped by the works council (Betriebsrat). This key figure requires a system directory, which often does not yet exist.

Communication and Change

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Utilisation rate after go-live

Formula: Number of employees or managers who use the new process in the system 90 days after go-live, divided by the number of intended users, multiplied by 100
Unit: Percentage
How to read it: The only key figure that indicates whether a project has achieved its goal. Below 80 per cent after 90 days means: the project is not complete.