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Cost & ROI5 min readJune 15, 2026

The Hidden Costs of Employee Turnover (And How to Stop the Bleeding)

Turnover Is More Expensive Than You Think

Every time an admin assistant or receptionist quits, you lose more than a person. You lose the institutional knowledge they built, the client relationships they maintained, and the three to six months it takes to get a replacement up to speed.

The Society for Human Resource Management estimates turnover costs between 50% and 200% of an employee's annual salary. For an admin making $48,000 in New York, that is $24,000 to $96,000 every time someone walks out the door.

Where the Money Goes

  • Recruiting: Job postings, recruiter fees, interview time ($2,000 to $8,000)
  • Onboarding and training: Two to four weeks of reduced productivity ($3,000 to $6,000)
  • Lost productivity: Other staff picking up slack, slower response times ($5,000 to $15,000)
  • Client impact: Missed calls, delayed follow-ups, dropped balls (incalculable)

Why New York Turnover Is Especially Bad

The NYC metro area has one of the highest turnover rates in the country for administrative roles. When your receptionist can walk across the street and get $2 more per hour, loyalty is hard to build. Add commute frustration (the average Long Island commute is 37 minutes each way) and the cost of living pressure, and you have a recipe for constant churn.

How a VA Agency Stops the Cycle

When you hire through Remote Staff NY, turnover becomes our problem, not yours. If your VA leaves, we provide a trained replacement at no additional cost. Your workflow documentation stays with us. The transition takes days, not months.

More importantly, our VAs tend to stay. Remote work eliminates commute stress, offers schedule flexibility, and provides stable employment. Our average VA tenure is over 18 months, well above the industry average for in-office admin roles.

Stop Reading About VAs. Start Working with One.

One phone call. 15 minutes. We will match you with a pre-vetted VA within 48 hours.

(631) 415-7452