Free Template

Headcount Planning Template

Plan every hire at the individual position level. Enter role, department, start date, and base salary — the template calculates employer NI, pension, benefits, and equipment costs automatically. Fully loaded costs roll up to the P&L by department and month.

What's included

Everything in this template

  • Position-level planning with role, department, and start date
  • Fully loaded cost calculation (salary + employer NI + pension + benefits)
  • Monthly phasing based on start dates and ramp periods
  • FTE and headcount tracking by department
  • Attrition and backfill modelling
  • P&L integration for salaries and wages line items

Template preview

See the structure

fx=Base_Salary * (1 + ER_NI_Rate + Pension_Rate + Benefits_Rate)
Role
FTE
Base Salary
Loaded Cost
Software Engineers
12
£780k
£1.02M
Sales Reps
6
£390k
£510k
Finance Team
3
£195k
£255k
Marketing
4
£220k
£288k
Total
25
£1.59M
£2.07M

Step by step

How to use this template

1

List all current and planned positions

Enter each position with role title, department, employment type (permanent, contractor, freelancer), and planned start date.

2

Set compensation details

Enter base salary for each position. The template applies your employer cost rates (NI, pension, benefits) to calculate fully loaded cost.

3

Configure ramp periods

For new hires, set a ramp period (typically 1-3 months) during which costs are lower or productivity is reduced.

4

Model attrition and backfills

Enter expected attrition rates by department. The template models the gap period and backfill timing for each leaver.

5

Review department summaries

Check the department roll-up to see total headcount, FTE, and fully loaded cost by department and month. Adjust hiring plans to stay within budget.

Watch out

Common mistakes to avoid

Using base salary instead of fully loaded cost — employer costs add 25-40% on top

Assuming all hires start on day one rather than phasing across the year

Ignoring attrition — even low turnover (10-15%) significantly affects headcount and cost

Not including recruitment fees (15-20% of salary for agencies)

Related templates

You might also need

Budgeting

Annual Operating Budget Template

A comprehensive full-year operating budget covering revenue, cost of goods sold, and departmental operating expenditure. Pre-built formulas calculate gross margin, EBITDA, and net income automatically. Designed for finance teams who need a clean, auditable starting point for annual planning. For tips on running an efficient budget cycle, see [Budget Season Survival Guide](/blog/budget-season-survival-guide). Pair this template with the [budget variance calculator](/tools/budget-variance-calculator) for automated BvA tracking, and review a worked [annual budget example](/examples/annual-budget-example) to see realistic UK figures.

View template
Budgeting

Startup Budget Template

A lean budget template designed for seed to Series A startups. Focuses on burn rate, runway, and the key cost categories that matter in early-stage companies — headcount, cloud infrastructure, and go-to-market spend. Includes fundraising scenario modelling.

View template
Budgeting

Departmental Budget Template

A standardised budget template designed for department heads. Pre-populated with common expense categories — salaries, software, travel, training, and professional services — that roll up to the master budget automatically. Give every cost centre owner a clear, consistent format. For additional guidance, read [Department Budget Templates: What to Include and Why](/blog/department-budget-templates), and use the [headcount cost calculator](/tools/headcount-cost-calculator) to estimate fully loaded people costs per department. See a worked [departmental budget example](/examples/departmental-budget-example) for a real-world reference.

View template

Build this in Grove FP in minutes

Import this template directly into Grove FP and start planning. No credit card required.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions