Full-Time Equivalent (FTE)
Full-time equivalent (FTE) expresses a workload or headcount as the number of full-time positions it represents. One FTE is one person working full-time. Two people at half-time also add up to one FTE.
How it is calculated
Divide the hours worked by the hours of a full-time schedule for the same period:
- If full-time is 40 hours a week, someone working 20 hours is 0.5 FTE.
- A team logging 300 hours in a 40-hour week is 300 / 40 = 7.5 FTE.
The full-time baseline varies by country and employer, so state it clearly whenever you report FTE.
Why it is useful
- Compare workloads across full-time, part-time, and contract staff on one scale.
- Plan capacity: express a project's demand in FTE and match it to available people.
- Report headcount in a way that reflects hours, not just the number of contracts.
How Sandtime.io fits
Because FTE is built from hours, it is only as good as the hours behind it. Sandtime.io records worked hours across people and projects, so you can turn real working time records into an FTE view of capacity and demand.
Related Terms
FTE pairs with utilization rate for capacity planning, draws on working time records, and helps put overtime in context.