Bradford Factor Calculator
Measure the impact of employee sickness on your business. The Bradford Factor weights frequent short-term absences more heavily than long-term illness.
What is the Bradford Factor?
The Bradford Factor is a mathematical formula used by HR departments to measure employee absenteeism. It prioritizes the frequency of absences over the total duration, based on the theory that short, frequent, unplanned absences are more disruptive to a business than longer, occasional ones.
How is the Bradford Factor calculated?
The formula is B = S² × D, where S is the total number of separate spells (instances) of absence and D is the total number of days of absence over a set period (usually 52 weeks).
What is a "good" Bradford Factor score?
Generally, a score below 50 is considered low concern. Scores between 50 and 200 may trigger an informal talk or warning, while scores above 500 often trigger formal disciplinary action. Every company has its own specific threshold.
Does the Bradford Factor count all absences?
Typically, it only counts unplanned short-term sickness. Planned absences like annual leave, maternity leave, or authorized medical appointments are usually excluded.