'Lost' employees cost SMEs £28,436

clock • 1 min read

It costs SMEs nearly £30,000, on average, to replace an employee according to research from AXA PPP healthcare.

To help decrease the likelihood of having to recruit new people to replace those who've left, employers say they are looking to focus on employee wellbeing in 2017. UK SME bosses predict that the biggest areas of focus for them in 2017 will be employees' work/life balance (35 per cent), offering more flexible working practices (21 per cent) and better procurement practices to ensure cost savings (19 per cent). The focus on employee wellbeing and cost control is unsurprising, given that SME decision-makers say that it costs nearly £30,000 to replace employees in terms of recruitment co...

To continue reading this article...

Join COVER for free

  • Unlimited access to real-time news, key trend analysis and industry insights.
  • Stay on top of the latest developments around health and wellbeing, diversity and inclusion and the cost of living crisis.
  • Receive breaking news stories straight to your inbox in the daily newsletter.
  • Members only access to monthly programme 'The COVER Review'
  • Be the first to hear about our CPD accredited events and awards programmes.

Join now

 

Already a Cover member?

Login

More on Employee Benefits

Half of adults feel financially unprepared for key life events

Half of adults feel financially unprepared for key life events

Most pronounced among those aged 45-54

Sophia Panayi
clock 28 September 2026 • 2 min read
Certua Life partners with employee benefits platform

Certua Life partners with employee benefits platform

Heka partnership

Cameron Roberts
clock 07 September 2026 • 2 min read
New multinational benefits leader for Howden Employee Benefits

New multinational benefits leader for Howden Employee Benefits

Hannah Proctor takes the role

Cameron Roberts
clock 03 September 2026 • 1 min read