Munkaerigény

Munkaerigény, often written munkaerőigény, is the demand for labor by employers within an economy or a specific sector. It describes the quantity of workers that firms need or expect to hire to produce goods and services, typically expressed in numbers of employees, full-time equivalents (FTEs), or available vacancies. In economic terms, it is a form of derived demand, arising from the demand for the final goods and services that labor helps to produce.

The concept can be analyzed on short-term and long-term horizons. Short-term munkaerigény fluctuates with business cycles, seasonality, and temporary projects, while long-term munkaerigény reflects structural factors such as technological change, capital intensity, and demographic shifts. It is commonly represented by a labor-demand curve, which, other things being equal, slopes downward as wages rise.

Several factors influence munkaerigény. Economic growth and consumer demand, productivity, and the existing capital stock determine how many workers firms choose to employ. Technological change, automation, outsourcing, and sectoral shifts can alter demand for specific skills. Policy choices—such as immigration rules, education systems, labor regulations, and taxation—also play significant roles, along with regional differences and global competition.

Measurement methods include official vacancy statistics, payroll data, hiring plans from surveys, and sectoral projections. Analysts use these inputs to forecast unemployment, guide training and education policy, and support workforce planning for firms and regions. Limitations exist, such as data lag, misclassification of vacancies, and uncertainty in productivity assumptions that can affect estimated munkaerigény.