Employee Movement & Retention

Attrition Rate

Also known as: Turnover Rate Separation Rate Churn Rate
Sub Metrics: Voluntary Attrition Rate Involuntary Attrition Rate Regrettable Attrition Rate Non-Regrettable Attrition Rate

Definition

The Attrition Rate measures the percentage of employees who leave an organization over a specific time period relative to the average number of employees during that period. It's a fundamental metric for understanding your workforce stability and the effectiveness of retention strategies.

In Deckata: Attrition Rate is automatically calculated from your HR systems and updated in real-time—no spreadsheets or manual work required.

How to Calculate

Attrition Rate

Formula
(Number of Separations in Time Period / Average Headcount in Time Period) × 100
Example
Separations: 15
Average Headcount: 500
Calculation: (15 / 500) × 100 = 3.0%
Result: 3.0%
Remember that the time period is crucial to interpreting the rate! A 10% Annual Attrition Rate is much less concerning than a 10% Monthly Turnover Rate.

Skip the manual calculations

Deckata automatically pulls data from all your HR systems, calculates Attrition Rate in real-time, and updates your executive decks instantly.

See it for yourself →

How to Visualize

01

Trend Line Chart

Display monthly or quarterly turnover rates over time to identify patterns and seasonality.

Best for: Executive presentations, showing progress on retention initiatives
Add a benchmark line (industry average) and goal line for context. Consider 12-month rolling average to smooth seasonality.
02

Segmented Bar Chart

Compare turnover rates across departments, job levels, or demographic groups.

Best for: Identifying high-risk populations, targeting retention programs
Stack voluntary and involuntary turnover to show the full picture. Sort bars by highest to lowest rate for impact.
03

Heat Map

Show turnover rates by two dimensions simultaneously (e.g., department × tenure band).

Best for: Advanced analysis, identifying intersection risks
Use color intensity to highlight problem areas. Keep to 2-3 colors maximum for clarity.

Stop manually calculating Attrition Rate

Deckata automatically calculates Attrition Rate, creates presentation-ready visualizations, and updates your executive decks in real-time—freeing you to focus on strategic insights instead of spreadsheet work.