The workforce is all the people who work for a company, organization, or country. When a factory manager talks about “our workforce,” she means everyone who works there: the assembly line workers, the engineers, the office staff, and everyone else who helps run the operation. When economists discuss a country's workforce, they mean all the adults who have jobs or are actively looking for work.

The word combines work and force, suggesting the collective power and energy of all these workers together. A small bakery might have a workforce of five people, while a tech company might employ a workforce of thousands. The size and skill of a workforce often determine what an organization can accomplish.

People sometimes use the phrase enter the workforce to describe when someone starts their first real job, usually after finishing school. Your parents probably entered the workforce years ago, and someday you will too. Countries invest heavily in education to develop a skilled workforce, because having trained, capable workers helps businesses succeed and the economy grow.

Notice that workforce doesn't just mean the total number of workers: it also suggests their combined abilities, experience, and effort. A company with a strong, experienced workforce can tackle bigger challenges than one whose workers lack training or motivation.