workforce
nounUS /ˈwɝk.foɹs/ · UK /ˈwɜːk.fɔːs/
Etymology From work + force.
1
All the workers employed by a specific organization or state, or on a specific project.
- The rail sector's ageing workforce (28% of workers are over 50 years old) means that about 15,000 people could retire from the industry by 2025.2020 December 2, Stefanie Foster, “Network News: Success of major projects hinges on fixing skills crisis”, in Rail, page 8:
- But much of the federal workforce is located outside the nation’s capital, and Trump’s offer was met with confusion and skepticism in many of those offices.2025 February 1, Tami Luhby, Eric Bradner and Rene Marsh, “Federal employees confused, angered by Trump’s offer to quit”, in CNN:
2
The total population of a country or region that is employed or employable.
- “There is no question the US economy will get smaller as you deport a lot of the workforce,” Kent Smetters, professor of business economics and public policy at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, said in an interview.2025 July 25, Matt Egan, “How Trump’s mass deportations could backfire on the American economy by shrinking paychecks”, in CNN Business:
- Synonyms
- manpower, jobforce, labour force, human resources, liveware, personnel, staff, workforce, Any plural of the meronyms
- Hyponyms
- consultants, contractors, temps, payrollers, womanpower
- Holonyms
- business, company, labour force