What does an in-house hire really cost?
- Base salary and any bonuses or commissions
- Employer payroll taxes and social contributions
- Health insurance, pension and other benefits
- Paid time off, sick leave and the cover needed for it
- Recruiting: agency fees or recruiter time, plus empty-seat time
- Onboarding and ongoing training
- Management, quality assurance and workforce planning time
- Office space, equipment, software licences and IT support
- Turnover: repeating recruitment and training when people leave
What is included in an all-inclusive outsourced rate?
At OLYMP BPO, the rate covers the employee's wages, Kosovo payroll taxes and statutory benefits, office space, internet and power infrastructure, hardware, recruitment, onboarding and training, HR administration, team leadership, quality assurance and account management. Ask any provider for this list in writing, and for anything that is charged separately.
How do shift premiums affect the total?
Work outside standard business hours, such as nights, weekends and public holidays, usually carries a premium on the base rate. When you model 24/7 coverage, apply the premiums to the hours they cover rather than to the whole schedule. The calculator includes these adjustments for the coverage you select.
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Which mistakes distort cost comparisons?
| Mistake | Better approach |
|---|---|
| Comparing an hourly rate with a salary | Compare total monthly cost for the same coverage |
| Ignoring management and QA | Include leads and quality staff on both sides |
| Ignoring turnover | Add a realistic replacement cost per year |
| Assuming the same productivity from day one | Allow a ramp-up period for both options |
| Leaving out transition costs | Include training time and any one-time setup |
How should you use the calculator's result?
- As a planning range for a business case, not as a contract price
- To compare scenarios: business hours versus extended hours versus 24/7
- To check which roles create the largest difference
- As the starting point for a quote based on your real requirements