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workforce

workforce

249 2.4
All the people who work in a company, industry, or country
  • noun
  • /ˈwɜrkˌfɔrs/
translation icon : fuerza laboral
  • Some other reports showed that, at last, the workforce had begun to stabilize.
  • enter the workforce
  • workforce development
  • train the workforce

Within that, the fastest growing workforce is what's called the digital nomad.

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Examples

  • Many believe that community colleges should serve the immediate community, focusing on workforce development and transfer preparation.

    Academic text (2011)
  • 21% of the children's social care workforce in England works in the private sector.

    Academic text (2011)
  • Our kids will be part of the workforce one day that will help to grow our economy.

  • No one should be pushed out of the workforce for tax reasons.

  • Women were entering the workforce in greater numbers than every before.

  • Nearly 17% of the workforce has become un or under employed.

  • We can't lose so many people from our workforce whose contributions could help to drive growth.

  • We help them feel more comfortable transitioning from service to the workforce.

  • Staff training will also be necessary to prepare the workforce for delivering a modernized service.

    Academic text (2011)
  • Over the years, the company has managed to expand its workforce to meet growing demands.

Synonyms

worker
vsworkforce
1.3

A person from the working class, not necessarily employed now

focuses on current employment or availability rather than class identity
employee
vsworkforce
1.3

A person hired by a company or another person to do paid work

describes the whole group of employed or available people rather than one individual
labor
vsworkforce
  • US
588 2.3

The group of people who work, usually organized in unions

refers simply to employed or available people without political meaning
manpower
vsworkforce
81 3.7

The number of people who can do work in a company or area

is broader, covering people across companies, industries, or an entire country
labor force
vsworkforce
  • Specialized
41 2.2

All the people in a country who can and are available to work

includes employed people or those available within a company, industry, or country
labor resources
vsworkforce
  • US
1 3.3

Workers who are available to do jobs in a country or company

is the general count of people employed or available across units
workpeople
vsworkforce
3.9

People who do jobs using their hands in places like factories

covers all employed or available people, not only manual roles
workfolk
vsworkforce
  • Archaic
7.5

People who do physical jobs in factories or similar places

is the broader group of all employed or available people in an area
hands
vsworkforce
1.6

People who do physical work, especially on farms or in factories

is not limited to physical jobs and covers all employment types

Antonyms

274 1.7

Without work and looking for a job

57 2.8

Not working or being used

Compounds

A process that makes jobs worse with lower pay, less job security, and less independence

A group of employees from different countries and cultures who are in the same company

How Big

workforce
249 2.4
department
1.8
team
1.0
individual
847 3.0

Surface Forms

workforce singular
workforces plural

Morphology

workforce = work + force (transparent) = work + force

The meaning is directly derived from combining 'work' and 'force', indicating the collective group of people available for work.

Etymology

Workforce is made of work and force, where force means 'power' or 'group of people', like in police force. So, workforce is the group of people who do the work — the 'power' behind a company or country.