labor expenses

USAGE SUMMARY

"labor expenses" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
You can use it when referring to the cost of employing workers to do a job. For example: "The company is trying to reduce its labor expenses by hiring employees on a part-time basis."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

53 human-written examples

He has pushed, with some success, for limits on local agencies' labor expenses and taxes.

The New York Times

You reduce the country-risk ratings and interest rates, then you lower labor expenses".

The New York Times

At service businesses like Starbucks, labor expenses account for most of the variable costs; if managers can't control those expenses, their stores won't survive.

The New Yorker

The Foundation for Newark's Future also agreed to Anderson's request to set aside another forty million dollars for a principals' contract and other labor expenses.

The New Yorker

Under Mr. Bloomberg, the city's labor expenses have swelled, even as the number of workers on the payroll has fallen slightly.

The New York Times

Labor expenses in the first quarter were revised to 4.8 percent, the biggest gain since the fourth quarter of 2008, from a previously reported 0.7 percent advance.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

7 human-written examples

They can use the time for any purpose, he said, and he has found that offering the time has added just 1 percent to his total labor expense.

The New York Times

Unit labor costs -- the amount of labor expense to produce goods and services -- rose at seven times the pace of the increase in wages.

The New York Times

Unit labor costs -- the amount of labor expense to produce, say, a pair of shoes or a computer -- rose sharply in the first quarter.

The New York Times

Samuel Buttrick, an analyst at UBS PaineWebber, said the reported labor expense on United's balance sheet already reflected the cost of the new agreement.

The New York Times

Moving production offshore has paid off: during 1998, group labor expense came to a modest 17.5% of sales.

Forbes

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When analyzing business financials, explicitly break down "labor expenses" into components such as wages, benefits, and payroll taxes for clearer insights.

Common error

Don't use "labor expenses" interchangeably with 'unit labor costs'. "Labor expenses" are the total cost, whereas unit labor costs measure the cost per unit of output.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "labor expenses" functions as a noun phrase. It typically acts as the subject or object of a sentence or clause, referring to the total costs incurred by an organization for employing labor. The Ludwig AI confirms this, providing examples across various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

42%

Formal & Business

30%

Academia

16%

Less common in

Science

7%

Wiki

3%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "labor expenses" is a widely used and grammatically sound noun phrase referring to the costs associated with employing workers. As confirmed by Ludwig, it appears frequently in news, business and academic contexts. When writing about "labor expenses", remember to specify the components (wages, benefits, etc.) and avoid confusing it with 'unit labor costs'. Related phrases such as "payroll costs" or "personnel costs" can provide nuanced alternatives. Given the common usage and clear meaning, "labor expenses" remains a reliable and professional term for financial discussions.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

payroll costs

Focuses specifically on the cost of salaries and wages.

workforce costs

Emphasizes the expenses related to the entire workforce.

personnel costs

Highlights the expenses associated with employing personnel.

employee compensation

Refers to the total remuneration paid to employees.

staffing costs

Focuses on the cost of maintaining a certain level of staffing.

wage expenses

Concentrates specifically on wage-related costs.

salary expenses

Highlights the costs associated with paying salaries.

employment costs

Broadly covers all expenses related to employment.

manpower costs

Emphasizes the expenses related to human workforce resources. (Note: This term can be seen as outdated by some)

labor payments

Directly refers to the payments made for labor.

FAQs

How to use "labor expenses" in a sentence?

You can use "labor expenses" to describe the costs associated with employing workers. For example, "The company is trying to reduce its "labor expenses" by automating certain tasks."

What can I say instead of "labor expenses"?

You can use alternatives like "payroll costs", "personnel costs", or "employee compensation" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "labor expenses" or "labor costs"?

"Labor expenses" and "labor costs" are often used interchangeably and are both considered correct. However, ""labor expenses"" might be slightly more specific, referring to documented expenditures.

What's the difference between "labor expenses" and "operating expenses"?

"Labor expenses" are a component of "operating expenses". Operating expenses encompass all costs incurred to run a business, while labor expenses specifically refer to the costs of employing labor.