manpower

Definition

An increasingly outdated term for 'workforce' or 'human resources' that makes HR professionals cringe because it ignores half the population and sounds like something from a 1950s management manual. It refers to the total number of available workers or the collective labor capacity of an organization, measured in human effort rather than horsepower. Modern companies are rapidly replacing this with gender-neutral alternatives like 'workforce' or 'staffing levels' before someone reports them to the diversity committee.

Example Usage

The construction site manager still uses 'manpower' in his reports, blissfully unaware that the HR department has been trying to retire that term since 2015.

Source: Traditional business terminology

Related Terms

Beginner

employment contract

A legally binding agreement specifying terms of employment including duties, compensation, and termination conditions. Rare in the U.S. where at-will employment reigns, but standard elsewhere in the civilized world.

👥 Human Resources

Beginner

living wage

The minimum income needed to meet basic needs in a given location, which is invariably higher than minimum wage and what entry-level positions actually pay. It's aspirational economics that HR mentions in diversity reports but rarely implements.

👥 Human Resources

Beginner

constructive feedback

Criticism delivered in a way that's supposedly helpful and developmental rather than purely negative. It's the art of telling someone they're failing while maintaining the illusion of support.

👥 Human Resources

Beginner

counteroffer

An improved compensation package your current employer suddenly produces after you resign, proving they could have paid you more all along but needed the threat of your departure to motivate them. A relationship red flag disguised as a raise.

👥 Human Resources

Beginner

Open Door Policy

A management claim that anyone can walk into the boss's office anytime to discuss anything, which is technically true if you enjoy career suicide. The door is open but the welcome mat is made of eggshells.

👥 Human Resources

Beginner

cultural fit

A subjective assessment of whether a candidate will mesh with existing team dynamics and company values, often used as a polite cover for 'we just didn't vibe with them.' Has been criticized for perpetuating homogeneity and unconscious bias.

👥 Human Resources

Translate This Term

See “manpower” in Corporate Speak, Gen-Z Slang, Pirate Speak, and more.

Try the Translator

Share This Term

Post on X Share on Facebook Share on LinkedIn

Discover a Term

Intermediate

unbra'd

The glorious moment of liberation when one removes their bra after a long day, freeing the oppressed from their underwir...