headcount

USAGE SUMMARY

'headcount' is a correct and usable word in written English.
It can be used as a noun to refer to the number of people in a group or organization. For example, "We are doing a headcount to make sure everyone is accounted for."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

58 human-written examples

In published details about the turnover, tax and headcount of the main countries in which its operates, Barclays also revealed it paid just £20m of tax in Luxembourg.

The Guardian - Business

Headcount across the group is now at the lowest level since 2007," he said.

The Guardian - Business

And there's the more easily comprehensible headcount of people who live on less than $1.25 a day.

The Guardian

Amazon's British business, whose accounts were published at Companies House on Friday, increased its headcount by 41% during the year, to 5,912, although during a recent interview the company said it now employed 7,000 staff in the UK, with many more seasonal workers joining its warehouses at Christmas.

The Guardian - Business

US-based oil giroup, ConocoPhillips, plans to reduce its staff headcount in the UK by 230 out of 1,650 posts while Texas-based oilfield services company Schlumberger cut back its UK-based fleet of geological survey ships ithis month, taking an $800m £511mm) loss and axing an unspecified number of jobs.

The Guardian - Business

We estimate this could translate into a net headcount reduction of about 25 people after the introduction of 10 more digital jobs, some of which we are advertising already.

The Guardian

Around £8m of the cuts will come from staff headcount reduction, with approximately £6m from other areas including supplier deals and reducing pagination by up to a quarter.

The Guardian

Barclays reported profits of £2.8bn for 2013, a total headcount of 140,282 and turnover of £36bn.

The Guardian - Business

Sky management, by the way, firmly denies rumours that Sky News' budget or headcount is being cut overall – whether to pay for Stuart Murphy's well-funded Sky entertainment channels, or the breathtakingly costly new Premier League deal.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

2 human-written examples

Few have allowed their headcounts to get out of line.One way to spot them is by their return on assets.

The Economist

The majority of rural counties 1,261 out of a total of 1,976 had shrinking headcounts.Between 2000 and 2010 alone, Greenville lost 17% of its residents.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When discussing workforce reductions, using "headcount reduction" can be a more direct and less euphemistic way to describe layoffs or downsizing compared to softer terms.

Common error

While "head count" (two words) is a verb phrase referring to the act of counting individuals, "headcount" (one word) is a noun representing the total number of people. Use "headcount" when referring to the result of the counting process or the number itself.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "headcount" is as a noun. It refers to the act of counting people or the total number of people in a group or organization. Ludwig examples show its use in contexts related to workforce management, population studies, and organizational structuring.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

55%

Formal & Business

35%

Science

10%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The term "headcount" functions primarily as a noun, denoting the total number of people within a defined group or organization. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's grammatically correct and widely used. Examples from Ludwig showcase its prevalence in News & Media and Formal & Business contexts, highlighting its significance in workforce management, budgeting, and strategic planning. While related phrases like "workforce size" or "number of employees" offer alternatives, "headcount" provides a direct and concise measure of personnel strength. A key writing guidance point is to differentiate "headcount" (noun) from "head count" (verb phrase). Overall, "headcount" serves as a vital metric for organizational analysis and decision-making.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

workforce size

Replaces "headcount" with a more descriptive term, focusing on the size of the working population.

number of employees

Directly states what "headcount" measures, emphasizing the employee aspect.

staff level

Indicates the quantity of staff, which is what "headcount" aims to determine.

personnel count

Uses "personnel" as a synonym for employees, maintaining the counting aspect.

employee base

Focuses on the collective group of employees, similar to understanding the "headcount".

manpower level

An alternative term emphasizing the availability of human labor.

team size

Specific to a team, it represents the number of individuals involved.

total staff

Highlights the entirety of the staff, aligning with the purpose of a "headcount".

personnel strength

Refers to the number of personnel, indicating the workforce capacity.

employee numbers

Simply quantifies the total number of employees, similar to "headcount".

FAQs

How is "headcount" typically used in business contexts?

"Headcount" is often used in business to refer to the total number of employees or personnel within a company or department. It's used for budgeting, resource allocation, and strategic planning.

What does "headcount reduction" usually mean?

"Headcount reduction" refers to a decrease in the number of employees, often through layoffs, attrition, or restructuring. It's a common term used during economic downturns or company reorganizations.

What are some alternatives to using the word "headcount"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives like "workforce size", "number of employees", or "staff level".

How does "headcount" relate to budgeting and resource allocation?

The "headcount" directly impacts a company's budget, as each employee represents salary, benefits, and other costs. It also affects resource allocation, as managers need to ensure they have the right number of people to complete tasks efficiently.