The Headcount Efficiency Playbook
The performance data CFOs and CHROs need to make headcount decisions that hold up
A $120K low performer costs $200K–$350K
Manager time, team drag, and opportunity cost add up fast
Your "top performers" may not be
Visibility and output are not the same thing
Most headcount problems are performance problems
And you can't solve them without the right data
What's in the playbook:
- • The full cost calculation for keeping a low performer (most CFOs are surprised)
- • How to identify your actual top performers — not just the most visible ones
- • The 4 types of performance data that make headcount decisions defensible
- • A framework for retain/develop/transition decisions by performance segment
- • The before-you-hire test (and how to apply it to every headcount request)
- • A 90-day implementation checklist
Get the Playbook
Free. 10-page PDF. Immediately useful.
Trusted by HR and finance teams at
We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe at any time.
A preview from the playbook
The real annual cost of a $120K low performer, once you account for manager time, team drag, and opportunity cost. Most companies only see the salary.
The performance rating inflation for politically skilled employees versus equally productive peers, per HBR research. Visibility bias is real and it affects every headcount call.
How late managers typically initiate a PIP relative to when the performance problem was first visible. Delay is expensive. This playbook helps you act earlier.