Time to Backfill
Definition
Time to Backfill measures the average number of days (or months) between when an employee departs and when their backfill hire officially starts work.
Formula
Time to Backfill = Backfill Start Date - Termination Date
Measured in: Days, weeks, or months
Worked Example
Scenario:
- Tom terminates: September 30
- Backfill offer accepted: November 15
- Backfill start date: November 30
Time to Backfill = Nov 30 - Sept 30 = 60 days (2 months)
Benchmarks by Role
| Role | Target | Good | Fair | Poor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SDR | 30 days | < 45 days | 45-60 days | > 60 days |
| Mid-Market AE | 45 days | < 60 days | 60-75 days | > 75 days |
| Enterprise AE | 60 days | < 75 days | 75-90 days | > 90 days |
| Manager | 75 days | < 90 days | 90-120 days | > 120 days |
Industry Average: 60 days (8-9 weeks) for AE roles
Components of Time to Backfill
1. Approval Time (0-14 days)
Pre-approved backfills: 0 days Requires approval: 7-14 days
2. Recruiting Time (14-42 days)
- Job posting
- Sourcing candidates
- Phone screens
- Interviews
- Reference checks
3. Offer-to-Accept (7-14 days)
- Offer extended
- Candidate reviews
- Negotiation
- Acceptance
4. Notice Period (14-30 days)
- Candidate gives notice to current employer
- Typical: 2 weeks (US), 1 month (Europe)
5. Start Prep (0-7 days)
- Background check
- Equipment setup
- Onboarding prep
Reducing Time to Backfill
Strategy 1: Pre-Approve Backfills
Before:
Termination → Approval (14 days) → Recruiting (42 days) → Start
Total: 56 days
After:
Termination → Recruiting (42 days) → Start
Total: 42 days
Saved: 14 days (25% faster)
Strategy 2: Evergreen Pipeline
Before:
Termination → Post job → Source → Screen → Interview → Offer (42 days)
After:
Termination → Interview warm pipeline → Offer (21 days)
Saved: 21 days (50% faster)
Strategy 3: Competitive Offers
Before:
First offer declined → Second candidate (add 21 days)
Total: 63 days
After:
First offer accepted (strong compensation)
Total: 42 days
Saved: 21 days
Impact on Capacity
Example:
Tom's capacity: $1.4M annual ($350K quarterly)
| Time to Backfill | Vacancy Period | Revenue at Risk |
|---|---|---|
| 30 days | 1 month | $117K |
| 60 days | 2 months | $233K |
| 90 days | 3 months | $350K |
Every 30-day delay = $117K more revenue at risk
Related Terms
- Recovery Lag - Time to full capacity (includes ramp)
- Backfill Rate - % of capacity recovered
- Backfill Planning - Process guide
References
- Standard recruiting metric
- Also called: Time to fill, vacancy period, hiring speed