Small Business Minister Craig Foss has welcomed the release of a new online tool to help small and medium-sized businesses understand the cost of employing staff. 

The tool, developed by Business.govt.nz at the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, estimates the fixed and discretionary costs of hiring new staff. Fixed costs include salary, ACC levies and KiwiSaver. Discretionary costs include recruitment, training and office equipment. 

“The Employee Cost Calculator is designed to help small and medium-sized businesses make confident hiring decisions based on realistic and reliable projections,” Foss says. 

The Employee Cost Calculator supports the 'Better for Business — Result 9' programme, which is transforming the public sector to make it easier for businesses to interact with Government.   

“Business.govt.nz packages Government information in a way that makes sense to business. It provides information, advice and a variety of tools to help businesses succeed,” Foss says. 

For more information visit: www.business.govt.nz/employeecostcalculator