Free tools
Bradford factor calculator
The Bradford factor shows how much one employee's absences disrupt the work. Frequent short absences weigh more than a single long one.
Bradford factor
72
3 × 3 × 8
Formula: S × S × D. S is the number of separate absences, D is the total number of days.
Start free trialThe same 10 days, four different scores
| How the days were taken | Calculation | Bradford factor |
|---|---|---|
| 1 absence of 10 days | 1 × 1 × 10 | 10 |
| 2 absences of 5 days | 2 × 2 × 10 | 40 |
| 5 absences of 2 days | 5 × 5 × 10 | 250 |
| 10 absences of 1 day | 10 × 10 × 10 | 1000 |
How to read the score
- There is no universal line for a “high” score. Each organisation sets its own thresholds and what follows at each of them.
- Compare people in similar roles over the same period, usually 52 weeks.
- The score does not know the reason for an absence. A chronic illness, pregnancy or caring for a relative give a high score without being a conduct issue.
- Use it as a prompt for a conversation, not as an automatic decision.
In TIMEOFF.GURU the report is ready
The system calculates the Bradford factor for every employee from the recorded absences. You collect no data and do no sums by hand.
Questions about the Bradford factor
All questions →What is the Bradford factor?
The Bradford factor is a score for one employee's absences. It rests on the idea that several short, unexpected absences disrupt work more than a single long one with the same number of days.
How is the Bradford factor calculated?
The number of separate absences is multiplied by itself and then by the total days absent: S × S × D. Three absences totalling 8 days give 3 × 3 × 8 = 72.
What counts as a high score?
There is no agreed value. Organisations that use the score set their own thresholds and describe them in their internal rules. The same score can mean different things in different teams.
Which absences are counted?
Usually the unplanned ones, such as sick leave. Planned paid annual leave is left out, because it does not take the team by surprise.
Retire the leave spreadsheet this week.
14 days free, full access, no credit card. Or let us show you around in 20 minutes.
or book a demo →