What are Labor Costs?
When managing a business or considering hiring employees, understanding labor costs is crucial. Labor cost is the total expenditure on employee wages, encompassing not only their actual work compensation but also additional expenses like benefits, payroll taxes, and other perks.
Common components of labor costs include:
- Payroll taxes
- Overtime
- Health care
- Bonuses
- Sick days
- Vacation days
- Insurance
- Benefits
- Meals
- Supplies
- Training costs
These costs can be categorized as either direct (related to production) or indirect (overhead). Labor costs may also be fixed or variable, depending on the nature of the expense.
Step-by-Step Labor Cost Calculation:
1. Compute Gross Pay
If an employee works full-time, multiply their hourly rate by the average number of weeks in a year (typically 40 hours/week × 52 weeks). For example, if an employee earns $10 per hour, the gross pay is $20,800 per year.
Gross hours per year = Gross hours per week × 52
Gross pay = Pay rate × Gross hours
2. Estimate Net Hours Worked
To determine actual hours worked, subtract the hours not worked (due to absence) from gross hours. For instance, if an employee is absent 15 days a year, the net hours worked would be 1,960 in this example.
Net hours worked = Gross hours – Hours not worked
3. Sum Additional Annual Costs
Include all related expenses like taxes, insurance, benefits, overtime, and supplies.
Other annual costs = Taxes + Insurance + Benefits + Overtime + Supplies
4. Compute Annual Payroll Labor Cost
The main labor cost formula is the sum of gross pay and other annual costs.
Annual payroll labor cost = Gross pay + Other annual costs
5. Estimate Actual Hourly Labor Cost
Divide the annual payroll labor cost by net hours worked to find the actual hourly labor cost.
Actual hourly labor cost = Annual payroll labor cost / Net hours worked
6. Approximate Labor Cost Percentage
For insight into overall costs, calculate the labor cost percentage by dividing the annual payroll labor cost by total revenue.
Labor cost percentage = Annual payroll labor cost / Total revenue
Frequently Asked Questions:
How to Reduce Labor Costs?
- Avoid overtime
- Reduce employee turnover
- Consider offering commissions
- Explore automation
Is Labor a Fixed or Variable Cost?
- It can be either fixed or variable, depending on components within the labor cost.
Good Labor Cost Percentage for a Restaurant?
- Between 25% and 40% of gross revenue, varying by restaurant type.
Labor Cost to Install Vinyl Plank Flooring?
- Ranges from $2 to $7 per square foot; seek quotes for accurate estimates.
How to Calculate Labor Cost per Meal?
- Total labor cost divided by the number of meals prepared.