What this calculator works out
This calculator multiplies the number of attendees by an average hourly cost and the meeting length, giving the cost of holding it.
Meetings are the only substantial organisational expense that nobody signs off. Putting a figure on one is the simplest way to make that visible.
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Before you calculate
- Hourly cost should reflect total employment cost, not salary alone — employer National Insurance, pension and overheads typically add 20 to 30%.
- Count everyone who attends, including those who join for part of it.
- Include preparation and follow-up if you want the true figure. A one-hour meeting needing an hour of preparation each costs twice what it appears to.
- The figure is a cost, not a waste. Meetings that produce decisions are worth their cost; the question is which ones do.
Adding one person to a weekly hour-long meeting at £35 an hour costs £1,820 a year. Adding four costs £7,280. The instinct to invite everyone who might be interested is the single largest driver of meeting cost, and the easiest to change.
How this calculator works
People times rate times duration:
Cost = attendees × hourly cost × (duration in minutes ÷ 60)The calculation covers the meeting itself. Context switching either side of it is a real additional cost that is harder to quantify — a meeting in the middle of an afternoon disrupts more than its own duration.
Worked example: six people for an hour
Using the default figures — 6 attendees at £35 an hour for 60 minutes:
- Cost: £210
£210 for one hour. Held weekly, that is £10,920 a year — a figure that would require a business case if it were a piece of software. Cutting it to 45 minutes saves £2,730 a year; removing two attendees who do not need to be there saves £3,640. Both are easier than most cost savings of that size.
Common mistakes
- Using salary rather than total employment cost. Overheads add 20 to 30%.
- Treating the cost as waste. A decision made is worth paying for; the question is which meetings make them.
- Ignoring preparation and follow-up. They can double the real figure.
- Inviting everyone who might be interested. Attendee count multiplies everything.
- Defaulting to an hour. Most meetings expand to fill whatever is booked.
Frequently asked questions
What hourly cost should I use?
Total employment cost divided by working hours — salary plus employer National Insurance, pension contributions and a share of overheads, typically 20 to 30% above salary. For a rough figure, dividing an annual salary by 1,600 rather than 1,950 approximates it, allowing for holidays and on-costs.
Are meetings actually a problem?
The cost is not the problem; the ratio of cost to outcome is. A meeting that resolves something needing several people's judgement is efficient. A recurring status meeting that could be a written update is not. The calculation helps distinguish them by making the price visible.
How do I reduce meeting costs?
Shorten the default booking, which is the single most effective change since meetings expand to fill their slot. Make attendance optional where possible. Require an agenda and a purpose. Replace status reporting with written updates. Each of these is easier than it sounds once the annual figure is on the table.
Should I share this figure with attendees?
It can be effective, though it needs care — displaying a running cost can feel like a criticism of the people in the room rather than of the meeting's design. Used in planning rather than during the meeting, it makes the case for shorter and smaller without putting anyone on the spot.
Is what I enter stored?
No. Figures are processed in your browser and never transmitted or retained.
Related tools
References
- GOV.UK — employer National Insurance and workplace pension contributions
- MoneyHelper — guidance on employment costs and pay
Sources are checked at publication and can change — how I choose and check references.