What is
What are
Full-time Equivalent (FTE)
?
Full-time Equivalent (FTE) is a standardized unit that indicates the workload of an employed person in a manner that allows for comparisons of workloads across different scenarios. An FTE of 1.0 equates to a full-time worker, while an FTE of 0.5 represents half of a full-time workload. This helps organizations account for part-time employees or employees with varying work schedules by aggregating their hours into a common measure.
How is FTE calculated?
The calculation of FTE is relatively straightforward. It's typically done by dividing the number of hours worked by an employee by the total number of hours considered to be full-time. For instance, in many organizations, 40 hours per week is considered full-time. Therefore, if an employee works 20 hours per week, their FTE would be calculated as 20 divided by 40, which results in an FTE of 0.5.
Why is FTE important?
FTE provides a way for organizations to understand staffing levels in a standardized way, even when employees have different work schedules. It's useful in many contexts. For example, it can aid in strategic planning, staffing decisions, and budgeting. It's particularly helpful for organizations with a mix of full-time and part-time employees, as it allows them to compare and analyze the overall staffing level. It can also be used to compare staffing levels between different organizations or industries, and to track changes in staffing levels over time.
Can FTE exceed 1.0?
Yes, an FTE can exceed 1.0 in situations where an employee works more than the standard full-time hours during a certain period. For example, if a full-time workweek is considered to be 40 hours, but an employee works 60 hours in a week, the employee would have an FTE of 1.5 for that week. This scenario is common in industries or roles where overtime or extended hours are frequent.
How is FTE used in budgeting?
In budgeting, FTEs are often used to determine the labor costs associated with personnel. This is particularly useful in industries where there are a lot of part-time employees or employees working varying hours. By converting the hours worked by all employees into FTEs, organizations can better estimate their labor costs, and can plan and budget accordingly. This can also help in forecasting future labor costs if the organization is planning to change staffing levels.
Does FTE consider the productivity of the employee?
FTE does not take into account the productivity of an employee. It is simply a measure of time, not output. Therefore, two employees could have the same FTE but vastly different levels of productivity. While it can be useful for comparing staffing levels and costs, it does not provide insight into how efficiently or effectively those hours are being used. Therefore, it is often used alongside other measures to provide a more complete picture of staffing and productivity.