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Definition of workforce noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

workforce

noun
 
/ˈwɜːkfɔːs/
 
/ˈwɜːrkfɔːrs/
[countable + singular or plural verb]
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  1. all the people who work for a particular company, organization, etc. synonym staff
    • The factory has a 1 000-strong workforce.
    • Two thirds of the workforce is/are women.
    Collocations UnemploymentUnemploymentLosing your job
    • lose your job
    • (British English) become/​be made redundant
    • be offered/​take voluntary redundancy/​early retirement
    • face/​be threatened with dismissal/(British English) the sack/(British English) compulsory redundancy
    • dismiss/​fire/ (especially British English) sack an employee/​a worker/​a manager
    • lay off staff/​workers/​employees
    • (Australian English, New Zealand English, South African English) retrench workers
    • cut/​reduce/​downsize/​slash the workforce
    • (British English) make staff/​workers/​employees redundant
    Being unemployed
    • be unemployed/​out of work/​out of a job
    • seek/​look for work/​employment
    • be on/​collect/​draw/​get/​receive (both British English) unemployment benefit/​jobseeker’s allowance
    • be/​go/​live/​sign (British English, informal) on the dole
    • claim/​draw/​get (British English, informal) the dole
    • be on/​qualify for (North American English) unemployment (compensation)
    • be/​go/​live/​depend (North American English) on welfare
    • collect/​receive (North American English) welfare
    • combat/​tackle/​cut/​reduce unemployment
    Extra Examples
    • Companies are under pressure to hire a more diverse workforce.
    • One person in the workforce is always responsible for the same job.
    • The company employs a workforce of nearly 5 000.
    • The management always consults with the workforce before introducing major changes.
    • The new management decided to retrain the entire workforce.
    • The shipyard has a total workforce of 9 000.
    • The workforce numbers 500.
    • The factory will have to lose half of its 1 000-strong workforce.
    Topics Working lifeb2, Businessb2
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • educated
    • qualified
    • skilled
    verb + workforce
    • employ
    • have
    • cut
    workforce + verb
    • fall
    • double
    • increase
    preposition
    • among a/​the workforce
    • in a/​the workforce
    phrases
    • a member of the workforce
    See full entry
  2. all the people in a country or an area who are available for work
    • A quarter of the local workforce is/are unemployed.
    • an educated workforce
    Extra Examples
    • The increase in the number of people entering the workforce has increased unemployment figures.
    • There is a change in the distribution of skills among the workforce.
    • a highly skilled workforce
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • educated
    • qualified
    • skilled
    verb + workforce
    • employ
    • have
    • cut
    workforce + verb
    • fall
    • double
    • increase
    preposition
    • among a/​the workforce
    • in a/​the workforce
    phrases
    • a member of the workforce
    See full entry
See workforce in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee workforce in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English
dizzy
adjective
 
 
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