What Does Attrition Mean?

Attrition can be defined as wearing down due to friction. It is also defined as a gradual diminishing due
to stress. It also denotes a gradual reduction of personnel or membership due to personal causes,
resignation, retirement or death. Another meaning of attrition is repentance from sin done more due to
fear of punishment from God rather than love of God.

Attrition has several connotations in military science. Attrition warfare is the military strategy
undertaken to tire the enemy by continually defeating them causing them innumerable losses in both
personnel and property.

Definitions of attrition:-

The reduction in staff and employees in a company through normal means, such as retirement
and resignation. This is natural in any business and industry.

Investopedia explains Attrition

This type of reduction in staff is one way a company can decrease labor costs: the company
simply waits for its employees to leave and freezes hiring. Such a method contrasts the more
severe labor-reduction techniques, such as mass layoffs. Waiting for attrition is usually better for
company morale.

Related terms of attrition

 Horizontal Integration
 Outplacement
 Rationalization
 Reorganization
 Restructuring

 Downsize

 Golden Boot

 Layoff

What Does Downsize Mean?

Reducing the size of a company by eliminating workers and/or divisions within the company.

It is sometimes referred to as "trimming the fat