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noun

der Stellenabbau, -ten

job cuts

Definition & meaning

Stellenabbau means job cuts, workforce reduction, or the elimination of positions. It describes a company, institution, or public authority reducing the number of available jobs, usually for financial, structural, or organizational reasons.

It does not always mean that employees are immediately dismissed. Positions may also disappear through retirement, voluntary resignation, non-renewal of temporary contracts, or a hiring freeze.

Example:

  • Das Unternehmen plant einen umfangreichen Stellenabbau.
    “The company is planning extensive job cuts.”

Grammar & Word origin

  • Gender: masculine: der Stellenabbau
  • Plural: usually not used; the concept is generally treated as uncountable
  • Word type: compound noun
  • Components:
    • Stelle = position, job, or post
    • Abbau = reduction, dismantling, or gradual removal

Literally, Stellenabbau means “the reduction of positions.”

Synonyms & antonyms

Synonyms

  • Personalabbau — workforce reduction; focuses more directly on reducing the number of employees or staff.
  • Arbeitsplatzabbau — elimination of jobs or workplaces; very close in meaning to Stellenabbau .
  • Kündigungswelle — wave of dismissals; emphasizes that many employees are being dismissed within a short period.
  • Entlassungen — dismissals or layoffs; refers specifically to employees losing their jobs, whereas Stellenabbau can also occur without immediate dismissals.

Antonyms

  • Stellenausbau — expansion of the number of positions.
  • Personalaufbau — expansion of the workforce.
  • Einstellungsoffensive — major recruitment drive or hiring campaign.

Common phrases & collocations

  • Stellenabbau ankündigen — to announce job cuts
  • Stellenabbau planen — to plan workforce reductions
  • vom Stellenabbau betroffen sein — to be affected by job cuts
  • Stellenabbau vermeiden — to avoid job cuts
  • Stellen abbauen — to eliminate positions
  • ein Stellenabbauprogramm — a job-cutting program
  • massiver Stellenabbau — massive job cuts

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Examples

Der Stellenabbau macht vielen Mitarbeitern Angst.noun

The job cuts frighten many employees.

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