Running an agency is a bit like piloting a plane: it’s not enough to have your hands on the controls, you also need to read the right instruments at the right time. And when it comes to staffing, turbulence never warns. Fortunately, a few KPIs well chosen allow you to anticipate air pockets before the crew panics.
Here are the 7 key indicators to monitor to keep your trajectory under control… and avoid having to recruit a parachutist in an emergency.
1. Occupancy rate (or workload)
Why it’s crucial : it’s THE thermometer of your activity. Too low? Your resources are underutilized. Too high? You’re on the verge of collective burnout.
To monitor closely:
- Below 65%, your teams risk getting bored… or leaving.
- Above 85%, expect rising tensions, errors, or even departures.
The right reflex : monitor this KPI by profile, by department, and by individual. And ask yourself: “Do I have enough available resources to respond to the next client request without breaking my team?”
2. Forecasted staffing rate
It’s the little brother of the occupancy rate, but with a crystal ball. It tells you if your teams will be well occupied… in 1, 2 or 3 months.
Why it’s strategic : anticipating is winning. A schedule that fills up gradually is an agency that sleeps soundly.
Ideal goal: a forecasted rate above 70% at 3 weeks, and 50% at one month. Otherwise, it’s time to ramp up sales efforts or prepare an internal optimization plan.
We're starting to track the criticality of projects and to easily visualize overruns. This is invaluable for reacting quickly.
3. Inter-contract periods
Behind this lengthy word hides a silent cost. A resource without a mission is a talent that stagnates… and a cost line that climbs.
To monitor:
- Average duration of inter-contracts
- Frequency by profile
- Overall monthly cost
The right KPI to aim for: maintain an average inter-contract duration of less than 5 days. Beyond that, the risk is twofold: demotivation on the employee side, pressure on profitability.
4. Turnover rate for key profiles
You’re often told: a good consultant is hard to find… and very easy to lose. High turnover among your experts or project managers is a red alert signal.
What it says about your agency:
- Is your organization sustainable?
- Do you offer enough visibility and prospects?
To aim for: a turnover below 10% per year on strategic profiles. Beyond that, ask yourself: “Why are they leaving… and why are they staying?”
5. Team versatility rate
A profile capable of working on several types of missions is a bit like a Swiss Army knife during a rush period: vital.
What it measures: your ability to quickly reposition a resource in case of emergency or change in client scope.
Smart KPI: % of employees who have worked on at least 2 types of missions over the past 6 months.
Objective: to promote real agility, not just declarative. Because no, not everyone can “lend a hand with branding” overnight.
6. Average time between a client request and resource allocation
Your responsiveness is a competitive advantage. Or a logistical nightmare.
Why it matters:
- The longer the delay, the more opportunities you miss.
- The shorter it is, the more you’re under pressure… or well-organized.
Target: a delay of less than 5 working days for standard requests. For rare profiles, the delay can be longer, but not without clear justification.
7. Profile/mission match rate
An often underestimated indicator, yet crucial: assigning a resource is good. Assigning it to the right project is better.
How to measure it:
- Post-mission feedback
- Client evaluation
- Resource self-evaluation
Why it’s strategic: a bad match can cost you dearly in client satisfaction, internal motivation, and deliverable quality.
We have a cockpit, a GPS, and a safeguard co-pilot. It's perfect for managing our activity proactively, not just in emergencies.
In summary: manage before running out of fuel
Staffing problems don’t fall from the sky: they set in gradually, often in blind spots. Monitoring these KPIs is like turning on the headlights before a sharp turn.
A good dashboard allows you to:
- Prioritize your HR and commercial actions
- Anticipate lulls or peaks in activity
- Better distribute the workload to preserve your teams’ energy
And if you feel like your Excel files are more exhausted than your consultants… it might be time to invest in a real co-pilot.
Choose a tool designed for agencies
At Furious, we know that good resource management starts with a clear, centralized, and actionable vision. Our platform allows you to track all these KPIs in real-time, to detect upcoming tensions and act before it’s too late.
Curious to see how it works? Request a personalized demo: you’ll see, your teams will thank you (and your CFO too).
