The Hidden Costs of "Standard" 40 Hour Timesheets
January 2026
In staffing and professional services, time isn’t an estimate or a formality. It’s the product. Our clients are paying for real work performed, and even small discrepancies matter when accuracy, budgets, and accountability are on the line.
An often-unspoken issue in contract staffing environments is the assumption of a “standard” 40-hour workweek when the actual workload is closer to 36. It’s rarely intentional, and often rooted in habit or assumption, but can cause real consequences over time.
What Those Missing Hours Really Cost
Four hours here and there may not feel significant in the moment, but over time, the cost adds up quickly. For a contractor billing at $75 an hour, four unworked hours equates to $300 in a single week. Over the course of a year, that’s more than $15,000 for one resource and substantially more when multiplied across multiple contractors or long-term engagements.
Beyond the financial impact, inaccurate timesheets can create budgeting challenges, misaligned performance expectations, and unnecessary friction between clients, contractors, and internal teams. Timelines become harder to forecast, productivity metrics get distorted, and finance teams are left explaining spend that doesn’t clearly tie back to outcomes. Over time, it erodes confidence in the entire staffing program and ignoring it isn’t an option when clients are trusting us to steward their investment responsibly.
That’s where our role as a staffing partner truly matters…
SET EXPECTATIONS: From the start of every engagement, we set clear expectations around time reporting. Contractors are informed that timesheets must reflect actual hours worked, not assumed hours, and that accuracy is a core requirement of the role. This clarity upfront eliminates confusion and establishes a shared understanding between all parties.
THOROUGH APPROVAL PROCESS: Once work is underway, timesheets move through a structured process of internal reviewing. We look not just at the numbers submitted, but at how those hours align with project scope, deliverables, and observed workload. When we see patterns that raise questions, such as identical hours submitted week after week regardless of activity, we address them directly and professionally.
CLEAR COMMUNICATION: Our approach is never about policing or blame. When discrepancies arise, we start with conversation. We validate the facts, understand context, and work with the contractor and client to correct the issue. In many cases, a simple clarification resolves the problem. When needed, we reinforce expectations and increase oversight to ensure accuracy going forward.
This process exists for one reason: to protect our clients.
Our clients aren’t just paying invoices, they’re trusting us to provide transparency, integrity, and accountability across their workforce. Accurate time reporting supports cleaner audits, more predictable budgets, and confidence that spend is directly tied to value delivered. It also protects contractors by ensuring expectations are clear and consistently applied.
This is what separates a transactional staffing vendor from a true staffing partner.
If you’re looking for a staffing partner that goes beyond filling roles and actively manages compliance, protects your budget, and advocates for your business at every step, we’d welcome the opportunity to connect. Let’s talk about how our staffing and professional services approach can support your teams, your projects, and your bottom line.