KPIs Every Consulting Firm Should Track (Part 2: People)

Understanding benchmarks and tracking key performance indicators (KPIs) is a strategic imperative for consulting firms wanting to optimize their performance and drive sustainable growth. In fact, according to the Project Management Institute (PMI), organizations that use benchmarking are 20% more likely to complete projects on time and within budget. But where do you start? Our new blog series, "KPIs Every Consulting Firm Should Track," explores the top KPIs tracked by consulting and professional services organizations and gives benchmarks to help you compare your firm to industry standards.  Part 1 will focus on project management benchmarks, part 2 will focus on people, and part 3 will focus on sales & marketing benchmarks.

Key Talent Benchmarks for Consulting Firms

Consulting firms are built on the strength of their people, making it essential to track talent-related KPIs. Employee performance, satisfaction, and growth directly impact client delivery, profitability and long-term business success. The following are key benchmarks and KPIs that consulting firms should track to ensure they are effectively managing their workforce and maintaining a competitive edge.

Employee Turnover Rate

High employee turnover can disrupt projects, increase recruitment costs and affect client satisfaction. According to LinkedIn, the consulting industry is known for having higher-than-average turnover rates, currently sitting at 13.6%. While some turnover is natural, especially in a fast-paced environment like consulting, maintaining a turnover rate close to or below the industry average is critical for long-term stability. Keeping turnover low requires focusing on employee satisfaction, career development opportunities and a supportive company culture. Offering clear paths for growth and competitive compensation packages can help reduce turnover and retain top talent.

Employee Turnover Rate Goal: 13%

Headcount / Staff Growth Rate

Tracking staff growth is vital, especially in consulting firms where project volume and demand fluctuate. According to SPI Research, high-performance consulting organizations are growing their headcount at a rate of 9.7%, significantly higher than the industry average of 4.1%. This growth is often driven by increased service demand and expansion into new markets. Monitoring this KPI helps you identify whether your firm is scaling in line with industry trends, and if not, allows you to investigate potential growth inhibitors such as inefficient processes or market positioning.

Headcount / Staff Growth Rate Goal: 9.7%

Employee Satisfaction / Recommendation Rate

Employee satisfaction directly impacts productivity, turnover, and the overall work environment. A high employee recommendation rate is a strong indicator of satisfaction. According to SPI Research, 93% of employees at high-performing firms would recommend their company to friends or family. This KPI offers valuable insights into your firm's culture and whether employees feel supported, valued and motivated. Conducting regular employee surveys and measuring the Net Promoter Score (NPS) among employees can help you track this KPI and identify areas for improvement.

Employee Satisfaction / Recommendation Rate Goal: 93%

Average Revenue Per Consultant

This KPI is a key measure of individual consultant productivity and overall firm profitability. According to SPI Research, the industry's average revenue per consultant has hovered around $204K over the last three years, with the top firms bringing in as much as $270K per consultant.

Average Revenue Per Consultant Goal: $270K

Tracking this metric can help determine whether your team is maximizing its revenue potential. It also gives insight into how well your firm utilizes its talent, pricing its services and maintains project efficiency.

Time-to-Hire (Talent Acquisition Speed)

Time-to-hire measures the number of days it takes to fill an open position. This is critical for consulting firms since project demands can change quickly, and long gaps in hiring can lead to understaffing and project delays. According to SHRM, the average time-to-hire across industries is 42 days, but top-performing firms aim for 30 days or less.

Time-to-Hire Goal: 30 Days

Employee Training and Development Investment

Investing in employee training is essential to keep consultants' skills sharp and aligned with evolving client needs. This KPI measures how much a firm spends on professional development per employee. High-performing consulting firms spend 1%-3% of their revenue on training and development per employee. As an added bonus, 92% of employees say workplace training positively impacts their job engagement.

Employee Training and Development Goal: 2%-3%

Conclusion

Let the benchmarks above serve as a reference, but the right KPIs for YOUR firm will depend on many variables, including company size, customer needs and industry(s) served. For more details on these (and other) KPIs or to learn how to calculate them, download our Ultimate Guide to Consulting KPIs. And speaking of KPIs and visibility … click here to see how Deltek Vantagepoint helped Greenprint Partners improve utilization by 12% thanks to increased visibility and real-time access to KPIs.