In practice
It is a core cost metric for staffing firms that employ consultants. Tracking the average, and the share of the bench marketed in the last seven days, shows whether marketing is keeping pace.
How it shows up in a posting
A consultant whose assignment ended on the 1st and who starts a new one on the 21st had 20 days on bench.
Common mistakes
- Measuring only the average and missing a few consultants who sit for months.
- Counting days without separating consultants who are unavailable by choice.
- Reacting only after the number rises instead of watching roll-off dates ahead.
Where this fits in a staffing workflow
Most of the day-to-day work around this term is finding the right requirements and getting a clean submission out quickly. MatchWire automates the sourcing, matching and resume tailoring steps and leaves the judgment calls to your recruiters.
Frequently asked questions
What causes long bench time?
Late marketing, narrow skills, work authorization limits and slow submission are common causes.