Meeting Cost Calculator
Because someone should be keeping track of this, and it isn't your manager.
Per attendee. Use an average if salaries vary.
This meeting is why the budget's tight.
Ok, so I'm about to book a meeting with 6 people and I wonder what it actually costs. Let's see if I can work it out. It'll run for 1 hour, and the average salary in the room is about $75,000 a year.
So if I spread that over 52 weeks of 40 hours, that's about $36.06 an hour each. 6 of us for 1 hour comes to $216.35, which is 6 hours of working time gone in one go.
And if it's every week, that's $11,250 a year. Huh, more than I'd have guessed.
What if I only invited 3 of them? Then it's $108 a meeting, and it saves $5,625 a year.
That's real money for changing a guest list.
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Meetings cost money. Not just your time, everyone's. Put in who's in the room and how long it drags on, and this works out roughly what that meeting cost the company in salary alone.
Ways to cut the cost
- Try 25 or 50 minutes instead of 30 or 60. A shorter slot makes people stick to the point.
- Check the guest list every time. Ask whether each person needs to be there, or just needs the notes.
- Know what the meeting is for. If there's no decision to make, an email or a shared note might do.
- Block out meeting-free time. Some teams keep a morning or an afternoon clear so people can get on with their work.
- Look at recurring meetings every few months. One that was useful six months ago may not be now.
What meetings cost at a glance
| People | 30 minutes | 1 hour | 2 hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | $43.27 | $86.54 | $173.08 |
| 5 | $72.12 | $144.23 | $288.46 |
| 8 | $115.38 | $230.77 | $461.54 |
| 12 | $173.08 | $346.15 | $692.31 |
| 20 | $288.46 | $576.92 | $1,153.85 |
Salary only, at an average of $60,000 a year. Use the calculator for your own figures.
Common mistakes
- Using one salary for everyone. Use an average, or add the real figures if you know them.
- Leaving out the preparation and the time people need to get back into their work.
- Using the number to blame someone. It works better as a question: does this need all of us for this long?
- Not asking what the meeting has to achieve. If there is nothing to decide, it may not need to happen.
Questions
How is the cost worked out?
Each person's yearly salary is divided by 52 weeks of 40 hours to get an hourly rate. That is multiplied by the hours of the meeting and added up for everyone in the room.
What salary figure should I use if people earn different amounts?
Use the average across attendees, or err on the side of whoever earns the most. Senior people in optional meetings skew the number up fast. Either way, the result will be directionally correct.
Does this include employer costs like payroll taxes and benefits?
No. The figure is salary only. The real cost to an employer is higher, because of things like payroll taxes and benefits, and how much higher depends on the country and the company.
Should I count people who are only listening, or doing something else at the same time?
Yes, if they were invited and expected to be there. They're still being paid for that time. If lots of people are only half-listening, it's a sign the guest list may be too long.
Is this accurate enough to use for a budget?
It's good for a rough idea, not for accounts. It assumes a 40-hour week and 52 weeks a year, and it only counts salary. Part-time staff, holiday and contractors paid by the day all change the real figure.
Can I use this for non-US salaries?
Yes. Pick your currency at the top, or choose Other to use your own symbol, and enter the salary in that currency. The maths is the same everywhere. So is the existential dread.
Need a break from all this calculation?