Less manpower

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "Less manpower" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing the reduction of human resources needed for a task or project. Example: "By implementing automation, we can achieve the same results with less manpower."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

26 human-written examples

Automation means manufacturing requires less manpower than before.

The Guardian

There's more CCTV, less manpower," said one practitioner.

The Guardian

"The capability that I am providing comes at less manpower on the ground," General North said.

The New York Times

For a start, the UN has far less manpower than the US.

The Guardian

By comparison, trusts and estates work requires far less manpower, which mean far less profit.

The New York Times

The lean model bodes well for companies like Leap2 that hope to become power players with much less manpower.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

33 human-written examples

Israel's military, long a unifying social institution, not only needed to counter new dangers from states such as Iraq and Iran (which both had long-range missiles) but also had to face the difficulties of changing to a more technical, less manpower-intensive force.

Encyclopedia Britannica

America's teaching unions fear a hidden agenda of replacing properly trained humans with some combination of technology and less qualified manpower, or possibly just technology.

The Economist

Sims said: "We're going to be less reliant on manpower, therefore we have got to rely more on better technology if we still want to improve policing and deliver it for less cost".

The Guardian

"Like influenza, despite million of dollars to prevent the flu and vaccinate people, we're always playing catch-up," he said, but with a salmon virus, there's "less money and manpower".

The New York Times

Over the summer, I saw him introduce Benton Harbor's new "quick response vehicles" — essentially pickup trucks outfitted with fire-retardant-foam-releasing contraptions that require a lot less money and manpower to operate than traditional fire trucks.

The New York Times - Magazine

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing organizational changes, use "less manpower" to emphasize the impact of automation or efficiency improvements. For example, "The new system allows us to operate with "less manpower", reducing costs and improving productivity."

Common error

While "manpower" is widely understood, consider using alternatives like "workforce", "personnel", or "staffing" to avoid gender bias and promote inclusivity in your writing.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "less manpower" functions as a noun phrase, typically used as an object or complement within a sentence. It quantifies the reduced amount of human labor required for a specific task, process, or operation, as exemplified in Ludwig's examples.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

44%

Science

44%

Wiki

12%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "less manpower" is a grammatically correct and usable expression in English, indicating a reduction in the number of workers needed for a task or operation. As noted by Ludwig AI, the phrase is considered appropriate for use in written English. While "less manpower" is acceptable, it's important to consider the context and potential for gender bias, and to utilize alternative phrases like "reduced workforce" or "fewer personnel" where appropriate. As shown by Ludwig, it is commonly found in news articles and scientific papers, often in discussions about automation and efficiency gains.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

reduced workforce

Replaces "manpower" with a more contemporary and inclusive term, referring to the total number of employees.

fewer personnel

Uses "personnel" to refer to the individuals employed by an organization, emphasizing a smaller number of employees.

decreased staffing

Focuses on the act of reducing the number of staff members.

lower headcount

Employs the term "headcount" to denote the number of employees, indicating a reduction in this number.

leaner staffing model

Highlights the efficiency of having fewer staff members.

optimized workforce

Suggests that the workforce has been streamlined to require fewer people.

downsized labor force

Indicates a reduction in the number of workers, often due to economic reasons.

smaller team size

Refers to a reduction in the number of members within a team.

reduced labor input

Emphasizes the decreased amount of labor required for a task or project.

automated operations

This implies that there are less human resources needed, because machines carry out the work.

FAQs

What are some alternatives to "less manpower" that are more inclusive?

Consider using alternatives like "reduced workforce", "fewer personnel", or "decreased staffing" to avoid gendered language.

How does automation relate to needing "less manpower"?

Automation often leads to needing "less manpower" because machines and software can perform tasks previously done by humans. This increases efficiency and reduces labor costs.

Is it correct to say "fewer manpower" instead of "less manpower"?

No, "less manpower" is correct. "Manpower" is treated as a mass noun, so it takes "less". "Fewer" is used for countable nouns.

In what situations is the phrase "less manpower" most commonly used?

The phrase "less manpower" is commonly used when discussing improvements in efficiency, the implementation of new technologies, or organizational restructuring that results in a reduced need for human labor. Examples include news about automation and scientific papers about new methods in surgery, which may require "smaller team size".