How much does it really cost your company to hire a talent?

May 8
3 min read

Most companies look at the salary line and stop there. The companies doing the full calculation are quietly switching models; and saving significantly per role. Here's what the numbers actually say.

Average days to complete a hire globally over 6 weeks before a new person starts contributing SHRM / Josh Bersin research, 2024

~28% Employer social security contributions on top of gross salary in Belgium before any other overhead Belgian NSSO (ONSS) / Playroll, 2025

20% Labour cost savings reported by companies using freelancers instead of full-time equivalents Asia Pacific hiring survey, cited joinGenius / Jobbers 2024–2025

How much does it really cost your company to hire a talent? The cost you see — and the one you don't

When a hiring manager asks "How much does it really cost your company to hire a talent??", They usually look at the day rate or project fee and stop there. But that number captures only a fraction of what a full-time hire actually costs the business.

The real question is: what is the total cost of employment once you add every mandatory and operational layer? The answer is consistently higher than most finance teams account for.

"The average cost-per-hire across all industries reached €4,700 in 2024; and for technical roles, it can push to €6,000–€10,000 per position or even more, before the new hire has done a single day of work."

Source: SHRM benchmark data, reported by Dover, 2024

The mandatory overhead that never appears on the job offer

In Belgium, employer social security contributions run at approximately 25% for basic contributions plus roughly 3% in additional contributions — totalling around 28% on top of gross salary, depending on the sector. This is among the higher rates in Europe, where the EU-wide average for non-wage costs sits at 24.8% of total labour costs according to Eurostat's 2025 data.

On top of statutory contributions, there are further layers every employer absorbs:

• Cost Category

• Gross salary

• Employer social contributions (~30%)

• Recruitment fees (agency or job boards)

• Time unfilled before start

• Equipment, tooling

• Office space per seat

• Cost of a bad hire

Where freelancers change the equation

The advantages of working with freelancers and external professionals are measurable and direct — they show up in specific cost lines that disappear when you don't hire full-time.

❌ Full-time hire 8–10 weeks before full contribution

Recruitment cost ($4,700+ average), 44-day or more hiring gap, onboarding ramp-up, fixed social contributions, and a costly exit, etc.

✅ External / Freelancer Operational in days, not months

No long recruitment cycle. Pay for output, not fixed headcount. Scale without HR overhead.

A survey of hiring managers in the Asia Pacific region found that companies hiring freelancers reported 20%+ savings in labour costs compared to equivalent full-time hires. The global freelance platform market reached $7.65 billion in 2025, reflecting the scale at which businesses are already making this shift. And where is Europe in this shift? You can only guess! Sources: Asia Pacific hiring survey cited in JoinGenius Freelance Statistics 2024–2025; Jobbers Freelance Platform Market Report 2025.

When does the external model make the most sense?

You're launching a product, market, or campaign and need to move fast

You need a specific skill set for 3 to 18 months — not a permanent function

Your team has a skills gap and training a current employee would take too long

You need to test a role or function before committing to permanent headcount

You're a growing SME that can't yet justify a full internal department

Remote or hybrid work means a physical presence is no longer a requirement

Economic uncertainty requires workforce flexibility over fixed cost commitments

VirtualMasst: built for this model

VirtualMasst was designed for companies ready to work this way. Post a job or assignment in minutes, reach pre-qualified freelancers across disciplines, and get your project moving in days — not months. Skip the 44-day hiring cycle, the recruitment fees, and the ramp-up risk. Start where the talent already is. Have you ever heard of VirtualMasst?

Freelancers keep don’t have to compete, theirs skills speak for them

Companies pay a fixed fee to post a job, and hire verified freelancers

Discover VirtualMasst.com — simple, clear, and reliable.”