What does "employment" mean?

1. (having a job) the state of having a paid job or working for a company. 2. (hiring people) the act of hiring someone to do a job. 3. (economic statistics) the number or percentage of people in a country who have jobs. 4. (use of something) the act of using something for a particular purpose.

How do you use "employment"?

Often followed by the preposition 'of' to indicate the resource being used.

employment

US //ɛmˈpɫɔɪmənt// UK //ɛmplˈɔɪmənt// em·ploy·ment

1 having a job (n.)
B1 Intermediate

the state of having a paid job or working for a company.

the state of being in a contract of service for which one receives payment.

Example

She found full-time employment at a local bank after she graduated.

Example

The transition from temporary contracts to permanent employment provided the family with the financial stability they had lacked for years.
- unemployment
2 hiring people (n.)
B2 Upper Intermediate

the act of hiring someone to do a job.

the act of employing or hiring someone for a specific role or task.

Example

The company's employment of new staff has slowed down this year.

Example

The firm's rapid expansion necessitated the employment of several specialist consultants to oversee the merger.
- hiring
- recruitment
- dismissal
- firing

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3 economic statistics (n.)
B2 Upper Intermediate Academic Science

the number or percentage of people in a country who have jobs.

the total number or proportion of a population engaged in productive work.

Example

The government is happy because employment is at its highest level in years.

Example

Economists noted that while overall employment remained high, the quality of jobs in the service sector was declining.
- workforce
- labour force
4 use of something (n.)
C1 Advanced Formal

the act of using something for a particular purpose.

the application or use of a method, tool, or resource to achieve an end.

Example

The employment of new technology helped the factory work much faster.

Example

The strategic employment of diplomatic pressure eventually forced the two nations back to the negotiating table.

Usage

Often followed by the preposition 'of' to indicate the resource being used.

Origin

From employ (itself from Middle French employer, from Middle French empleier, from Latin implicō (“enfold, involve, be connected with”), itself from in- + plicō (“fold”)) + -ment.