What is the real cost of that open seat?

We all feel the pinch of an unfilled role—but too often, the true cost is underestimated. In fast-growth tech companies, that gap on the org chart creates ripple effects: missed revenue, team burnout, and stalled innovation.

This 3-minute guide quantifies what’s really at stake—and why speed, strategy, and support matter.

1. Lost Revenue 

Every unfilled sales, engineering, or product role delays customer acquisition, feature releases, and performance delivery.

For a mid-level software engineer earning $120K/year, the estimated weekly output loss ranges from $20,300–$30,000, depending on open projects and his/her contribution.

In revenue-generating roles (sales, marketing), costs of each vacancy typically equal 1.5x–2x weekly compensation, or $3,500–$4,800/week.

For product or DevOps leaders, delays can push back sprints, client launches, and even revenue recognition by weeks or months.

According to SHRM, the average cost per unfilled tech role is $14,129/month, though fast-growing companies may experience significantly higher opportunity loss.

2. Team Burnout 

When one seat is empty, someone else is absorbing the load. Over time, that pressure leads to mistakes, lower morale, and eventual turnover. Hiring too slowly can cost you two another empty seat on the team.

3. Cultural Drift 

Founders often build culture intentionally—but every new hire or extended vacancy shifts team dynamics. Long vacancies leave behavioral gaps, create resentment, and hinder cohesion.

4. Customer Risk 

Delays in onboarding, feature support, or maintenance can lead to customer frustration—or worse, churn. These risks compound with every week a technical or customer-facing role stays open.

5. Missed Innovation 

Your next hire could have driven a new feature, scaled a process, or proposed an efficiency change. Every week without that voice is innovation lost.

What to Do About It

- Shorten your hiring process (10–14 days max from final interview to offer) and read our blog post with straightforward, practical tips on how to do that.

- Partner with recruiters who pre-vet for values and fit, not just resumes

- Avoid perfectionism. Hire for impact, not unicorn status

Book a 15-min consult at no charge, and we will give guidance on how to audit your current open roles and recruitment model, plus quick tips for attracting better candidates