Practise headcount and workforce planning vocabulary: FTE, open reqs, backfill vs. growth hires, attrition, and writing a headcount business case.
0 / 5 completed
1 / 5
What does "FTE" mean, and how does it differ from a contractor headcount?
FTE (Full-Time Equivalent) is the standard unit for counting permanent full-time headcount; two part-time employees at 0.5 FTE each count as 1 FTE combined.
Key distinction: FTE vs. contractor — contractors are typically budgeted separately (often from a different cost center, e.g. "contingent labor" or "opex" rather than "headcount"), don't count against FTE headcount caps, and are used for flexible or time-boxed work. During a headcount freeze (a hiring pause on new FTEs), some companies still allow contractor hiring since it doesn't touch the frozen FTE budget.
Vocabulary: "We have budget for 2 FTEs and 1 contractor this quarter."
2 / 5
What is the difference between a "backfill req" and a "growth req"?
Req (short for requisition) is the formal, approved authorization to hire for a specific role.
• Backfill req: opened because a previous employee left the role — the team size stays the same once filled • Growth req: a genuinely new headcount slot — the team size increases once filled
This distinction matters in budget conversations: backfill reqs are usually approved faster (replacing existing budget) while growth reqs require new budget approval, often needing a stronger business case.
Example: "We have 3 open reqs: 2 backfills for engineers who left in Q4 and 1 growth hire to support the new platform initiative."
3 / 5
Which pair correctly distinguishes "regrettable" from "non-regrettable" attrition?
Regrettable attrition — losing someone the company wanted to keep (a strong performer, hard-to-replace skill set). This is the metric leadership tracks most closely, since it signals retention problems.
Non-regrettable attrition — departure of an underperformer, or a departure that aligns with restructuring plans; generally not concerning from a retention standpoint.
Related terms: • voluntary attrition — employee chose to leave (resignation) • involuntary attrition — company ended the employment (layoff, termination)
Note: these two axes are independent — a voluntary resignation can be regrettable (losing a strong performer) or non-regrettable, and the same applies to involuntary departures.
4 / 5
Rewrite this headcount request to follow standard business-case structure (problem → impact → ask):
"I want more people on my team, we're busy."
Option B follows the standard headcount business-case structure: 1. The specific ask: "2 additional FTEs" 2. The concrete problem: quantified gaps (on-call rotation size, backlog growth %) 3. The consequence of inaction: burnout risk, roadmap slippage
Vague requests ("we're busy", "everyone is tired", comparisons to other teams' headcount) rarely succeed in budget conversations because they give approvers nothing concrete to evaluate. Strong headcount requests quantify the gap and tie it to business risk or roadmap commitments — this is what finance and leadership need to approve new budget.
5 / 5
What does "span of control" mean in workforce planning, and why does it matter?
Span of control — the number of people reporting directly to one manager. Also called manager-to-IC ratio.
Why it matters in workforce planning: • Too low a span (e.g. 2-3 reports) can mean too many management layers relative to the org's size — expensive and slows decision-making • Too high a span (e.g. 15+ reports) means managers can't give each person meaningful coaching, 1:1 time, or career development attention • A commonly cited healthy range for engineering managers is 6–8 direct reports, though this varies by team maturity and manager experience
Related term: team density — how concentrated headcount is within a specific function/product area, used when deciding whether to add a new team vs. grow an existing one.
What does the "Headcount Planning Language" exercise cover?
Learn headcount and workforce planning vocabulary in English: FTE, requisitions, backfill vs. growth reqs, attrition types, and span of control.
Is this exercise free to use?
Yes. Every exercise on CoderSlingo, including this one, is free to use with no account, sign-up, or paywall.
How many questions are in "Headcount Planning Language"?
This exercise has 5 questions. Each one gives instant feedback with an explanation, so you can see exactly why an answer is right or wrong.
Do I need to create an account to save my progress?
No account is required. The progress bar and score are tracked in your browser for the current session -- the exercise is designed to be a quick, repeatable drill rather than something you resume later.
What happens if I get an answer wrong?
You'll see the correct answer highlighted immediately, along with a short explanation of why it's correct. Wrong answers aren't penalized beyond your score, and you can keep going through every question.
How is this exercise different from reading an article?
Articles explain vocabulary and concepts through prose, while exercises like this one are interactive drills -- multiple-choice questions -- that test and reinforce your recall of specific terms and phrasing.
Can I retry this exercise?
Yes -- use the "Try again" button on the results screen to reset your score and go through all the questions again from the start.
Where can I find more Developer Hiring exercises?
Browse the full Developer Hiring hub for related drills, or check the site-wide exercises index for other IT English topics.
Is this exercise suitable for beginners?
This exercise assumes basic familiarity with IT terminology. If a term feels unfamiliar, check the site Glossary for a plain-English definition before attempting the questions.
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New exercises are added regularly across all categories, alongside new vocabulary sets and articles. Check back on the exercises hub to see what's new.