Franchise Staff Cost Calculator
Enter the base hourly rate from your own award, find it on the Fair Work Pay Calculator. The penalty multipliers are typical defaults only; your exact award, and whether staff are casual (usually a ~25% loading on top), will change them. Super is applied at the rate you enter (12% from 1 July 2025). Estimate only, not advice, confirm with Fair Work or an accountant.
Why use this tool?
Labour is the biggest ongoing cost in most service, food and retail franchises, and the brochure "from" price ignores it entirely. In Australia, weekend and public-holiday penalty rates and compulsory superannuation mean the real cost of an hour worked is well above the base rate, a Sunday shift can cost 1.5× or more, and super adds another 12% on top. This tool turns your roster and award rate into a true weekly and annual wage bill, so you can check whether the trading hours the model assumes are actually affordable.
Who uses the Staff Cost Calculator?
- Prospective franchisees, in food, retail and services, checking whether a 7-day roster is affordable on realistic sales.
- New operators building a roster, costing weekday, weekend and public-holiday hours before they commit to trading times.
- Accountants & advisers, quickly modelling a client's labour cost as part of a business case.
- Anyone checking award costs, who wants penalties and super added to a base rate, not just the headline wage.
How to use it
Estimate your real labour cost in three steps:
- Enter the base rate and super. Add the base hourly rate from your award (look it up on the Fair Work Pay Calculator) and the superannuation rate (12% from 1 July 2025).
- Add your weekly roster. Enter total ordinary, Saturday, Sunday and public-holiday hours across your team, and adjust the penalty multipliers to match your award.
- Read your true labour cost. The tool shows weekly and annual wages including penalties and super, plus your blended hourly cost. Compare it against the sales your business plan assumes.
Frequently asked questions
How do I work out staff costs for a franchise?
Start with the award base hourly rate, add penalty rates for weekends and public holidays, multiply by the hours in your roster, then add superannuation (12%). This calculator does that maths, enter your rate and hours and it returns the true weekly and annual cost. Find your exact award rate on the Fair Work Pay Calculator.
What are penalty rates in Australia?
Penalty rates are higher pay for hours worked at less sociable times, typically Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays. The exact loading depends on the relevant Modern Award (for example the Fast Food, Retail or Restaurant award) and on whether the employee is full-time, part-time or casual. Always confirm the current rates for your award on the Fair Work website.
Does the calculator include superannuation and casual loading?
It adds superannuation at the rate you enter (12% from 1 July 2025). It does not automatically add the casual loading, casual employees are usually paid about 25% more than the base rate, so if you're costing casual staff, increase the base rate you enter accordingly.
Why is labour cost so important when buying a franchise?
Wages are typically the single largest ongoing expense in a service or food franchise, often 25–35% of sales. A model that looks profitable can fall apart once realistic penalty rates and super are included, especially for 7-day trading. Costing labour honestly before you sign is one of the most important checks a buyer can make.
Is this staff cost calculator accurate and free?
It's free, runs in your browser and stores nothing. Accuracy depends on your inputs: it uses the base rate and penalty multipliers you provide, so get the real figures from the Fair Work Pay Calculator. It's a planning estimate, not payroll or legal advice, confirm with Fair Work or an accountant before you rely on it.
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