What changes when people change hours?
FTE measures scheduled hours relative to a full-time baseline. If six people move from 40 to 36 hours and four move from 24 to 30 hours, the team still has 10 people. The first group loses 24 weekly hours; the second adds 24. Total capacity remains 336 hours, or 8.4 FTE on a 40-hour baseline.
Formula and assumptions
For each group, multiply people by weekly hours. Add group hours for each scenario, then divide by the same full-time weekly baseline. Proposed hours minus current hours gives the capacity change. Positive values mean more scheduled hours; negative values mean fewer.
The calculator uses weekly scheduled hours, not hours actually worked. It does not remove absence, meetings or breaks. For usable capacity after those losses, run the result through the staffing shrinkage calculator. Matching weekly totals also does not prove that every shift has coverage.
Before sharing a comparison
Keep both scenarios on the same period and baseline. A temporary four-day schedule and a permanent reduced-hours contract can look identical in this arithmetic but have different operational consequences. Document the effective dates and check which hours need a particular skill or location.
Read how to review a schedule change, or start with FTE versus headcount.
Frequently asked questions
Does a shorter schedule change headcount?
No. In this comparison the same people appear in both scenarios. Their combined hours and FTE change, while headcount stays constant.
Can the full-time baseline be 37.5 hours?
Yes. Set the baseline to your organization’s weekly full-time hours and use it consistently for both scenarios.
Does this calculate salary or legal employment status?
No. It compares scheduled capacity. Pay, benefits and statutory FTE measures can use different rules.
Can a group have zero proposed hours?
Yes. Zero models no scheduled capacity from that group. The people remain in this scenario’s headcount; use a separate roster model for departures.