Headcount and staff turnover tracker

What the headcount and staff turnover tracker does

Turnover is a cost you can see only if you count it. This tracker follows opening headcount, hires and exits each month, carries the closing figure forward automatically, calculates monthly turnover and the annual rate, and has an exits log that records the reason people leave and shows it on a chart.

Who it is for

Business owners and HR managers who want to know whether they are keeping their people, and finance staff who need headcount for budgets and reports.

How to use the workbook

1. Enter the opening headcount for the first month.
2. Each month, type the number of hires and exits.
3. Record each leaver on the Exits sheet with the date, department and reason.
4. Read the closing headcount, turnover and the reasons summary.
5. Save a copy under a new name for each month or year, so earlier records stay as they were.

What is inside

• Opening and closing headcount carried forward
• Monthly and annual turnover rates
• Exits log with date, department and reason
• Summary of reasons with a chart
• Twelve months on one page

The workbook has these sheets: Instructions, Headcount, Exits, Reasons. The main table has the columns Month; Opening headcount; Hires; Exits; Closing headcount; Average; Monthly turnover. Yellow cells are for you to fill in and grey cells calculate by themselves, so leave the grey cells alone. The example rows show how it works; type over them with your own entries.

Tips for getting it right

• Count the same group of people every month, for example only permanent staff.
• Ask leavers for the real reason and record it honestly.
• Look at the pattern by department, not only the total.
• Compare the annual rate with your sector and with last year.

Why keep this record

Staff records go wrong in small, repeated ways: a figure typed twice, a deadline forgotten, a promise that nobody wrote down. A tidy workbook that everyone uses the same way removes most of those problems. It also gives you something to show an employee, an auditor or a labour officer when a question comes up months later, and it makes the next payroll quicker because the facts are already in one place.

Questions people ask

Do I need to know Excel formulas? No. Type into the yellow cells and the rest is worked out for you. The formulas are visible if you want to see how a figure is reached.

Can I add rows or change the layout? You can add your own columns to the right and your own notes. If you insert rows inside a table, copy the grey formula cells down so the new rows calculate too.

Will it work on my phone or in Google Sheets? Yes for viewing and typing, but dropdown lists and the charts look best in desktop Excel or LibreOffice.

Keeping it safe and up to date

Payroll records are personal data and tax records at once, so keep the file somewhere only the people who need it can open, and keep each month's copy for at least five years. Statutory rates such as NSSF limits and the Housing Levy change, so check the Rates sheet against the official source before you rely on a figure.

Read how to run payroll for a small business for the wider picture. See more payroll templates or ask us for a custom one.

The workbook works in Microsoft Excel, LibreOffice and Google Sheets. It is a tool to help you work out and record figures, not tax, legal or accounting advice, and it is not affiliated with the Kenya Revenue Authority. If something does not work as described, contact us and we will put it right.

Related guides, calculators and templates

• Guide: How to run payroll for a small business in Kenya
• Guide: How PAYE is calculated in Kenya, step by step
• Guide: NSSF contributions explained: tiers, limits and what you pay
• Another template: Annual PAYE and payroll summary
• Another template: Annual leave planner and register
• Another template: Benefits and allowances register

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