Featherbedding meaning

Featherbedding is the practice of excessively requiring more workers than needed for a particular job, leading to inefficiency and higher costs.


Featherbedding definitions

Word backwards gniddebrehtaef
Part of speech The word "featherbedding" is a noun.
Syllabic division feath-er-bed-ding
Plural The plural of the word "featherbedding" is featherbeddings.
Total letters 14
Vogais (3) e,a,i
Consonants (8) f,t,h,r,b,d,n,g

Featherbedding refers to the practice of requiring an employer to hire more workers than needed, or to assign unnecessary work to current employees. This can result in inflated payrolls, increased costs for businesses, and decreased efficiency in the workplace.

Featherbedding often occurs in industries where labor unions have significant influence, as unions may negotiate contracts that include provisions for excessive staffing levels or unnecessary job duties. This can be seen in sectors such as transportation, construction, and manufacturing.

Effects of Featherbedding

The practice of featherbedding can have numerous negative effects on businesses and the economy as a whole. It often leads to higher operating costs, reduced competitiveness, and overall inefficiency within companies.

Costs and Inefficiency

By requiring employers to hire more workers than necessary, featherbedding can result in bloated payrolls and increased expenses for businesses. This can ultimately lead to higher prices for consumers and reduced profit margins for companies.

Impact on Competitiveness

Industries that practice featherbedding may struggle to compete with other businesses that operate more efficiently. In a global economy where competition is fierce, companies that are weighed down by unnecessary labor costs may find it challenging to stay afloat.

Addressing Featherbedding

Addressing featherbedding typically involves negotiations between management and labor unions to revise existing contracts and eliminate excessive staffing requirements. This may require compromise from both parties to ensure that businesses remain competitive while also protecting the rights and benefits of workers.

In some cases, government regulation may be necessary to address issues related to featherbedding and promote a more efficient and sustainable labor market.

In conclusion, featherbedding is a practice that can have detrimental effects on businesses, workers, and the economy as a whole. By understanding the implications of this practice and working towards more efficient labor practices, companies can strive for greater competitiveness and sustainability in the long run.


Featherbedding Examples

  1. The union negotiated featherbedding clauses in the contract to protect workers' jobs.
  2. Some critics argue that featherbedding practices lead to inefficiencies in the workplace.
  3. Featherbedding can result in higher costs for consumers due to inflated prices.
  4. The company's strict policy against featherbedding helped improve productivity.
  5. Labor unions often use featherbedding as a bargaining tool during negotiations.
  6. Featherbedding can create animosity between workers and management in a company.
  7. Eliminating featherbedding practices can streamline operations and reduce waste.
  8. The company decided to cut back on featherbedding to stay competitive in the market.
  9. Featherbedding can lead to resentment among employees who feel overworked as a result.
  10. The government introduced regulations to curb featherbedding and promote efficiency.


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  • Updated 02/04/2024 - 00:14:02