man hours

The term man hours (or man-hours) is a unit of measurement used in project management, construction, and industrial accounting to represent the amount of work performed by an average worker in one hour. It is calculated by multiplying the number of people working on a task by the time spent. The term originated during the Industrial Revolution, reflecting a time when the industrial workforce was predominantly male and the word "man" was commonly used as a generic synonym for "human" or "worker."

Perspectives on the term's acceptability vary significantly based on industry and organizational culture. Those who continue to use it often view it as a standard, technical metric devoid of social intent, noting that updating legacy systems, contracts, and historical data to new terminology can be administratively difficult. However, many modern style guides, corporations, and government bodies classify the term as exclusionary gendered language. Critics argue that using "man" as a default for "worker" implicitly erases women and non-binary individuals from the labor force, preferring gender-neutral alternatives to promote inclusivity.

Example:
"The construction of the new bridge is estimated to require over 50,000 man hours to complete on schedule."

Example:
"Management is looking for ways to cut down on the man hours required for data entry by implementing new software."