German Conversation · Level 177
29 words
German word
Personalabbau
Pronunciation
IPA/pɛʁzoˈnaːlapˌbaʊ̯/
Meaning
- masculine nounjob cuts
Example
Der Personalabbau begann letztes Jahr.
The job cuts began last year.
More examples
Die Belegschaft protestierte gegen den angekündigten Personalabbau.
The workforce protested against the announced job cuts.
Core concept
An organization trims its employee structure rather than removing just one individual.
Common phrases
umfangreicher Personalabbau
extensive job cuts
einen Personalabbau vermeiden
avoid job cuts
angekündigter Personalabbau
announced job cuts
Similar words
Stellenabbau: The removal or reduction of positions in an organization.
Entlassung: An employer's act of ending an employee's contract.
Betriebsbedingte Kündigung: An employee's dismissal for reasons related to the business operation.
Massenentlassung: The dismissal of a large number of employees in a brief period.
Definition in German
Reduzierung der Zahl der Beschäftigten in einem Unternehmen, meist zur Kostensenkung oder Umstrukturierung.
Word origin
The compound joins Personal, meaning staff or employees, with Abbau, the noun from abbauen, whose basic sense is taking something apart.
Usage tips
- Personalabbau describes an organizational process and does not by itself say that every affected employee is dismissed.
Other meanings
- staff reductionnoun
- downsizingnoun
Opposites
- Einstellunghiringnoun
- Personalaufbaustaff expansionnoun