underemployment

/ˌʌndərɪmˈplɔɪmənt/
noun
  1. A situation in which a person has a job but is working fewer hours than they would like, or a job that does not use their skills or education.
    • The report showed that underemployment is higher in rural areas than in cities.
    • She accepted the part-time role despite her qualifications, a clear case of underemployment.
    • Many college graduates face underemployment, working in jobs that don't require a degree.
  2. The state of an economy where labor resources are not used to their full potential, including both part-time workers and those in mismatched jobs.
    • The government introduced new policies to reduce underemployment and boost productivity.
    • Underemployment can be just as damaging to an economy as unemployment.
    • Economists measure underemployment along with unemployment to get a fuller picture of the job market.
What does "underemployment" mean? | whatsthatwordmean | whatsthatwordmean