People and HR
Voluntary turnover
- People and HR
Definition
The percentage of employees who choose to leave an organisation over a period, for example by resigning, compared with the average number employed.
For your role
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Why it matters
People choosing to leave is the part of turnover an organisation can most influence, so it is a strong signal of pay, management or workload problems.
Where it is used
HR dashboards, engagement reviews and retention plans. Used by HR business partners, people analysts, HR directors and line managers.
How to calculate it
Voluntary turnover % = voluntary leavers in period ÷ average headcount in period × 100
Worked example
ILLUSTRATION. Raket Parts B.V. had an average headcount of 406.7 from January to September 2025 and 15 leavers (real figures). Its records do not hold a leaving reason. If 9 of the 15 had resigned, voluntary turnover would be 9 / 406.7 x 100 = 2.2% for the nine months.
Raket Parts B.V. is a fictional company created for Insyt.
Definitions vary. Organisations differ on whether retirement, mutual agreement or the end of a fixed-term contract counts as voluntary. Check how your organisation calculates it.