subordinate employees

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "subordinate employees" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when referring to employees who report to or have less authority than other employees. For example, "The supervisor divided the responsibilities between the senior employees and the subordinate employees."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

"Such impermissible and repeated contacts," the Legislature's report stated, "create conflicts of interests for subordinate employees who must choose to either please a superior or run the risk of facing that superior's displeasure and the possible consequences of that displeasure".

The New York Times

"Such impermissible and repeated contacts," the report states, "create conflicts of interests for subordinate employees who must choose to either please a superior or run the risk of facing that superior's displeasure and the possible consequences of that displeasure".

The New York Times

In a typical hierarchy, these results reveal that a single incentive placed on a given manager can also affect the potentially numerous subordinate employees not directly subjected to the incentive.

Accounting, Organizations and Society

"In the employment context, romantic relationships between supervisors and their subordinate employees often adversely affect decisions, distort judgment, and undermine workplace morale for all employees, including those not directly engaged in the relationship," UConn president Susan Herbst said in an email to the campus.

Huffington Post

She is one of more than 90 primary school subordinate employees in Burao district currently benefiting from the scheme.

Unicef

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

49 human-written examples

The American Red Cross dismissed its president and chief executive, Mark W. Everson, yesterday, citing his "personal relationship with a subordinate employee".

The New York Times

The 1,200-employee 1,200-employeeoot camp" three to firm times a yearunsat teaches skills such as how to bootcamp difficulthreeversatoon with a subordinate employee.

BBC

Subordinate, employee, and staff became colleague and team because ultimately that's what we all are in the workplace.

Huffington Post

Lockheed Martin Corp., the world's largest defense firm, announced its incoming chief executive resigned after an ethics investigation confirmed he'd had a "close personal relationship" with a subordinate employee.

Los Angeles Times

Mr. Méndez-Santiago, according to the federal complaint, had "physical and/or sexual relations with subordinate female employees in his office, while plaintiff had to sit at her desk directly outside his office".

The New York Times

The complaint did not accuse the companies Mr. Monas controlled, or any of his subordinates or employees, of any wrongdoing, and federal officials said it appeared that the employees -- from securities sales personnel to secretaries who typed up account statements -- had been misled into aiding his scheme.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When discussing organizational hierarchy, use "subordinate employees" to clearly define the relationship between different levels of staff.

Common error

While technically correct, "subordinate employees" can sound overly formal or even condescending in casual conversation. Consider using terms like "team members" or "staff" in less formal settings to foster a more collaborative tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "subordinate employees" functions as a noun phrase identifying a group of workers within an organizational hierarchy. As noted by Ludwig AI, it is grammatically correct and used across various domains. The examples provided by Ludwig confirm its use in describing workplace relationships and responsibilities.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Formal & Business

20%

Science

20%

Less common in

Wiki

13%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "subordinate employees" is a grammatically correct noun phrase used to describe employees in a hierarchical work structure. Ludwig AI confirms its usability in written English. While technically sound, its formality may not always be appropriate for casual settings. The phrase appears most frequently in news and media, formal business, and scientific contexts. Consider using alternative phrases like "junior staff" or "team members" depending on the desired tone. The phrase's professional register dictates its limited usability to business and professional areas as confirmed by Ludwig examples and by usage pattern analysis.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

subordinate staff members

Replaces "employees" with the more general "staff members", keeping the descriptor "subordinate".

lower-ranking employees

Emphasizes the hierarchical position using "lower-ranking" instead of "subordinate".

lower-level personnel

Substitutes "employees" with "personnel" and uses "lower-level" instead of "subordinate" to describe rank.

junior staff

Replaces "employees" with "staff" and "subordinate" with "junior", indicating a lower level in the hierarchy.

junior team members

Replaces staff with team members, implies a junior position in the team

rank-and-file employees

Uses the term "rank-and-file" to denote employees who are not in management or leadership positions.

non-managerial employees

Focuses on the absence of managerial duties as a defining characteristic of their position.

entry-level workers

Specifies "workers" at the "entry-level", indicating a starting position and inherently a lower rank.

supervised employees

Highlights that these employees are under supervision, implying a hierarchical structure.

reporting staff

Focuses on the reporting relationship, indicating the staff who report to a superior.

FAQs

How can I use "subordinate employees" in a sentence?

You might say, "The manager is responsible for the training and development of their "subordinate employees"".

What's a less formal alternative to "subordinate employees"?

Depending on the context, consider using terms like "team members", "staff", or "junior employees" as alternatives to "subordinate employees" in more casual settings.

Is it appropriate to use "subordinate employees" in all workplaces?

While grammatically correct, "subordinate employees" can sound hierarchical. Consider whether your workplace culture favors a more collaborative or egalitarian tone before using this phrase.

What is the difference between "subordinates" and "subordinate employees"?

"Subordinates" is a shorter, more direct term, but "subordinate employees" explicitly specifies that you're referring to employees within an organization's hierarchy. The choice depends on the desired level of formality and clarity.