What is Vacancy Rate?

A vacancy rate shows the percentage of available positions that remain unfilled compared to the overall number of positions in the organisation. It indicates how well the company recruits, retains, and hires the talent it needs to fulfill its objectives. Since it can offer insightful information about the general health and performance of a business, the vacancy rate is an important indicator considered by HR professionals. Vacancy rates are generally used in the employment sector and real estate analysis. A company with a high vacancy rate faces several difficulties such as overpaying existing employees and decreasing level of customer satisfaction which can ultimately lead to a loss. On the other hand, low vacancy rates signify that a company has a competitive advantage over a company that has high vacancy rates.

Geeky Takeaways:

  • The vacancy rate can be defined as the percentage of all available job positions within an organisation, that are vacant or unoccupied at a given time.
  • It helps the organisation identify any prospective skills gaps and plan for the future.
  • It can also determine the effectiveness of the recruitment process.
  • The large number of open positions, and overloading existing employees result in additional costs for the company.
  • A greater number of vacancies has an adverse impact on customers’ confidence and trust in the company.

Table of Content

  • Characteristics of Vacancy Rate
  • How to Calculate Vacancy Rate?
  • Examples of Vacancy Rate Calculation
  • Disadvantages of High Vacancy Rates
  • How Much Does a Vacancy Cost?
  • Conclusion
  • Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Vacancy Rate: Meaning, Characteristics, Calculation and Examples

Similar Reads

What is Vacancy Rate?

A vacancy rate shows the percentage of available positions that remain unfilled compared to the overall number of positions in the organisation. It indicates how well the company recruits, retains, and hires the talent it needs to fulfill its objectives. Since it can offer insightful information about the general health and performance of a business, the vacancy rate is an important indicator considered by HR professionals. Vacancy rates are generally used in the employment sector and real estate analysis. A company with a high vacancy rate faces several difficulties such as overpaying existing employees and decreasing level of customer satisfaction which can ultimately lead to a loss. On the other hand, low vacancy rates signify that a company has a competitive advantage over a company that has high vacancy rates....

Characteristics of Vacancy Rate

1. The vacancy rate indicates the recruitment needs of the company. It is a measure of the number of available positions, and the degree to which the company has a problem filling them....

How to Calculate Vacancy Rate?

The vacancy rate is an important factor that can affect the work of an organisation. A high vacancy rate has several negative effects such as overpaying existing employees and decreasing customer satisfaction resulting in loss. Businesses with low vacancy rates are more competitive than those with high vacancy rates. The formula used for calculating the vacancy rate is:...

Examples of Vacancy Rate Calculation

Example 1:...

Disadvantages of High Vacancy Rates

1. Losing Trust: A greater number of open positions denotes a negative working environment, which can damage the reputation of the company and also restrict prospective employees before joining the company....

How much does a Vacancy Cost?

There is no set procedure for calculating vacancy cost because it depends on several factors. The other costs associated with open positions include lost wages and overtime salary paid to current employees due to employee shortages. Existing employees have greater stress due to excess work, which can lead to burnout, lower productivity, and increased turnover. It is also important to note that paying overtime is usually more expensive than filling up the gap. Moreover, a heavy workload may compromise performance quality, which indicates customer satisfaction....

Conclusion

The vacancy rate enables the company to calculate the overall percentage of open positions within the company during a particular time frame. Since it covers one of the most important functions the HR department performs, this is a valuable tool for measuring the department’s overall productivity and efficiency. The percentage of your vacancy rate can be calculated by taking the entire number of openings and dividing it by the total number of positions in the company, then, multiplying it by 100. A high rate may indicate a limited prospective workforce, but it may also indicate that the business needs to attract new employees. On the other hand, low vacancy rates show that companies are more competitive than those with high vacancy rates....

Vacany Rate – FAQs

Why does the rate of vacancies matter?...