Meeting Cost Calculator

How to use the meeting cost calculator

1. Fill in the fields — they start with a worked example.
2. Read the answer, and the arithmetic shown beneath it.
3. Copy the results, or adjust the inputs to compare scenarios.

About this tool

The arithmetic is simple and the result is usually uncomfortable: eight people at an average salary in a one-hour weekly meeting costs a five-figure sum over a year.

Salary alone understates it. Employers pay taxes, pension contributions, insurance and equipment on top, which typically adds 25–40% — the overhead multiplier here defaults to 1.3. That figure is what finance means by fully loaded cost.

This is a prompt to think, not a case against meetings. A decision made in twenty minutes can be worth far more than it costs. The number is only useful because the recurring, unexamined meeting rarely is.

Common uses

• Checking whether a recurring meeting earns its place.
• Costing a workshop before scheduling it.
• Making the case for a shorter agenda.

Frequently asked questions

Why multiply salary by 1.3?

Because employment costs more than salary: taxes, pension, insurance, equipment and software typically add 25–40%. Set the multiplier to 1 if you want salary alone.

How many working hours are in a year?

This uses 2,080 — 40 hours across 52 weeks. Adjust the salary if your organisation works materially different hours.