Manhours

Manhours are a unit of measure representing the amount of work performed by one worker in one hour. Also called person-hours or labor-hours in some contexts, manhours are used in planning, estimating, and evaluating the labor content of a task or project. The total manhours for a task equal the sum of the hours worked by all workers on that task, regardless of role.

Calculation and usage: If five workers each work eight hours on a task, the task requires 40 manhours. Manhours can be aggregated across teams and days; they can refer to calendar hours or productive hours depending on convention. Overtime or nonproductive time can be included or excluded according to agreement or methodology. In practice, manhours support bid estimates, staffing plans, productivity analysis, and labor cost calculations, with cost often derived by multiplying manhours by a wage or rate per hour.

Limitations and considerations: The term has gendered language; many organizations use person-hours or labor hours as alternatives. Manhours measure input, not output, and do not inherently capture skill level, experience, equipment, downtime, breaks, or efficiency. Therefore they are most informative when paired with output measures, utilization rates, and productivity metrics. Modern practice often uses time-tracking software and project management tools to monitor actual manhours, compare them with estimates, and adjust planning. Automation, outsourcing, and changes in work methods can reduce required manhours while maintaining or increasing overall output.