See the real difference in time-to-impact between hiring a fractional executive and a traditional full-time search. Every month of vacancy costs your business money.
2-4 weeks to impact
3-6 months to impact
| Metric | Fractional | Full-Time |
|---|---|---|
| Time to onboard | 2-3 weeks | 3-6 months |
| Time to first impact | Week 3-4 | Month 5-6 |
| Months of vacancy | ~0.5 | 4-5 |
| Cost of vacancy period | - | - |
| Search & recruitment cost | Included | - |
Hiring a full-time C-suite executive in Europe is notoriously slow. The average time-to-hire for senior executive positions ranges from 3 to 6 months, with some searches taking over a year. This is driven by several European-specific factors that don't apply to more junior roles.
Notice periods are the single biggest delay factor. In France, senior executives typically have 3-month notice periods mandated by employment law. In Germany, notice periods for senior employees can reach 6 months. Even in the UK, 3-month notice periods are standard at the C-suite level. This means that even after finding and signing the perfect candidate, you may wait months before they can start.
Fractional executives eliminate this bottleneck entirely. Because they operate as independent professionals or through platforms, there is no notice period. Most fractional executives can begin within 2-4 weeks of initial engagement, delivering their first strategic audit and 90-day plan by week 4.
The cost implications are significant. Every month without executive leadership represents not just a vacancy cost (the equivalent salary going unspent but also unearned), but a strategic gap. Projects stall, teams lack direction, and competitive advantages erode. For a typical CFO role in Germany, each month of vacancy represents approximately €33,000 in lost strategic value.
Most fractional executives can start within 2-4 weeks from initial engagement. This includes requirements definition, shortlisting, interviews, and contract signing. Some urgent placements can be completed in as little as 1 week.
Notice periods for senior executives vary by country: UK (3 months typical), France (3 months legally mandated for cadres), Germany (3-6 months for senior roles), Spain (1-3 months), Netherlands (2-4 months). This is the primary reason full-time executive hiring takes 3-6 months.
Cost of vacancy refers to the value lost during the period a leadership position remains unfilled. It includes direct costs (projects delayed, decisions deferred) and indirect costs (team morale, competitive positioning). We calculate it as the monthly equivalent of the role's total annual compensation, which represents the minimum strategic value the role should generate.
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