Less workers

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "Less workers" is not correct in standard written English.
The correct form would be "fewer workers," as "fewer" is used for countable nouns. Example: "The company has fewer workers this year compared to last year due to budget cuts."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

17 human-written examples

We work longer, take less sick leave, and claim less workers comp, but still we are under-employed.

The Guardian - Opinion

This leads to less workers educating themselves.

IZA Journal of Labor Economics

And the more channels there are, the less workers seem to pay attention".

TechCrunch

However, as (mu ) and (sigma ) further increase, many workers can utilize their multiple skills and thus less workers are needed.

Data Science and Engineering

However, as (|E_t|) becomes too large, many workers may use their own multiple skills to complete the task and thus less workers may be needed.

Data Science and Engineering

In this regard, it is expected that the elasticity of the unemployment rate to output should increase more in countries, which protect less workers from dismissal17.

IZA Journal of Labor Policy

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

41 human-written examples

Therefore parents bring colds to their workplaces less often, and employers see less worker absenteeism, fewer health insurance claims and so on.

The New York Times

The big payoff, he says, should come in cost savings and better customer service with less worker churn in call centers.

The New York Times - Tech

If the worker exits the labor market, at a rate μ, the firm will continue to exist, but with one less worker.

IZA Journal of Labor Economics

If the plumbers, say, learn how to build 25 units a day with one less worker, they get a bigger cut of the pool.

Forbes

And if there is one less worker in an automobile plant, there will be one more worker in a computer plant.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always use "fewer" instead of "less" when referring to countable nouns like "workers". For example, "The company now employs fewer workers due to automation."

Common error

Avoid using "less" with countable nouns. "Less" is for uncountable quantities (e.g., "less water", "less time"), while "fewer" is for countable items (e.g., "fewer cars", "fewer people").

Linguistic Context

The phrase "less workers" functions as a quantifier + noun construction, attempting to specify a reduced quantity of workers. However, as Ludwig AI points out, the quantifier "less" is grammatically incorrect in this context.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

45%

Wiki

5%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "less workers" appears in various contexts, especially in news and scientific articles, it is grammatically incorrect. According to Ludwig AI, the correct term is "fewer workers", as "fewer" should be used with countable nouns. Alternative phrases like "reduced workforce" or "smaller staff" can also be used. Always prioritize grammatical accuracy, particularly in formal writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Fewer workers

Replaces "less" with "fewer", the correct quantifier for countable nouns like "workers".

Reduced workforce

Uses a noun phrase instead of a quantifier + noun combination.

Smaller staff

Replaces "workers" with "staff" and uses "smaller" as the quantifier.

Downsized employee base

Formal phrase emphasizing the reduction in the number of employees.

Decreased labor force

More formal and economic term for a reduction in the working population.

Lower headcount

Business term for the number of employees in an organization.

Thinner ranks of employees

Emphasizes the reduced number of employees using a metaphor.

Diminished personnel

More formal term indicating a reduction in staff.

Lighter payroll

Focuses on the financial aspect of having fewer employees.

Scaled-down staff

Suggests a planned reduction in the number of employees.

FAQs

Should I use "less workers" or "fewer workers"?

The correct phrase is "fewer workers". "Fewer" is used for countable nouns, while "less" is used for uncountable nouns.

What is a good alternative to saying "less workers"?

You can use alternatives such as "reduced workforce", "smaller staff", or "decreased labor force".

How can I remember when to use 'less' versus 'fewer'?

Think of it this way: if you can count the items individually (like workers), use "fewer". If you're referring to a general quantity that can't be counted individually (like water), use "less".

Is it ever correct to use 'less' with a plural noun?

In some informal contexts, "less" might be used with plural nouns referring to amounts or periods of time (e.g., "less than 50 years"), but for countable items like workers, "fewer" is always the grammatically correct choice.