“Can we afford to hire?” is one of those questions that sounds simple until you look at the numbers.

Because the answer is rarely just about salary.

A lot of businesses use revenue as proof they are ready to add payroll. That is where things start to get expensive. Revenue can look healthy while margins are slipping, cash flow is tighter than it appears, and overhead is already weighing more than the business should tolerate.

So yes, “can we afford to hire?” is the right question.

It is just not a small question.

It is a profitability question. And if you want a better answer, the numbers need to tell you more than whether cash is there today.