labour force participation
The proportion of the working-age population that is either employed or actively seeking work.
speakingWork and economyGovernment and society
IELTS use
Advanced economic term for discussions about employment trends and policies.
Examples
- Labour force participation has declined among young adults in some countries.
- The government introduced incentives to boost labour force participation.
- Labour force participation rates vary significantly by gender.
- Aging populations can lead to a decrease in labour force participation.
Collocations
- labour force participation rate
- The labour force participation rate fell to a low.
- boost labour force participation
- Childcare subsidies can boost labour force participation.
- decline in labour force participation
- There has been a decline in labour force participation.
- labour force participation of women
- Labour force participation of women has risen globally.
Word family
- Noun
- participation
- Verb
- participate (in the labour force)
- Adjective
- participatory (rare in this context)
Paraphrases
- workforce participation: Interchangeable, common variant.
- employment rate (narrower): Employment rate excludes unemployed seekers; this is a partial synonym.
- involvement in the labour market: More descriptive, formal.
Common mistakes
- The labour force participation is high. to The labour force participation rate is high.. Usually used with 'rate' to be precise.
- Many people participate labour force. to Many people participate in the labour force.. 'Participate' requires 'in'.
- Labour participation force increased. to Labour force participation increased.. 'Force participation' is not a standard phrase.