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Glite Dictionary
overemployment

overemployment

7.9
More people work than needed or workers do more hours than they want
  • noun
  • /ˌoʊvərɪmˈplɔɪmənt/
  • Specialized
translation icon : sobrecarga laboral
  • Concerns about overemployment have led management to reassess staffing levels in the organization.

Examples

  • There is a feeling that there is an overemployment of non-academic staff in many tertiary institutions.

    Academic text (2006)

  • Sixty-three percent of the non-teaching staff completely disagreed that there was an overemployment of non-teaching staff.

    Academic text (2006)

  • There is a feeling that many Nigerian universities are bedeviled by the overemployment of non-academic staff, while some universities failed the accreditation because of inadequate employment of academic staff.

    Academic text (2006)

  • The remaining 6% of the teaching staff agreed that although there was an overemployment of the non-teaching staff, which was so obvious by constant idling about, gossiping, etc., the excess staff should not be removed because it was not their fault to be employed in the first place, and also, their families would suffer if they were removed.

    Academic text (2006)

  • The company is facing issues due to overemployment, as many employees are working more hours than they want.

  • The report highlighted overemployment in the sector, showing that many workers are overwhelmed by excessive workloads.

Synonyms

overwork
vsoveremployment
5 4.6

Work done for too long that makes you tired or sick

focuses on excess numbers or hours rather than resulting harm
overmanning
vsoveremployment
  • Specialized
6.8

A situation where more workers do a job than are needed

also covers excess working hours rather than only surplus staff
overworking
vsoveremployment
3.4

Working too much for a long time that makes you very tired

also includes having too many staff even without long hours
overtaxation
vsoveremployment
7.4

Giving someone too much work or pressure so they become very tired

is about surplus staff or too many hours, not general pressure

Antonyms

underemployment
5 4.9

People who have jobs that do not use their skills or give enough hours

How Employed

overemployment
  • Specialized
7.9
full employment
  • Specialized
10 4.1

Surface Forms

overemployment singular
overemployments plural

Morphology

overemployment = employment (transparent) = over + employ + ment

The word is formed by adding the productive prefix 'over-' to 'employment', and the meaning of excess is directly recoverable.

Etymology

The word overemployment comes from the parts over- meaning 'too much' and employment meaning 'work' or 'a job'. So it describes having 'too much' work or too many workers, which is why it means people work more hours than they want or there are more staff than needed.