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Business English vocabulary · Company Structure

Rank and file

Meaning in business english, with examples

nounAdvanced term

In business english, rank and file means: The ordinary members or employees of an organization, excluding its leadership.

In Turkish: yönetici olmayan çalışanlar, taban

How it is used

Used collectively in reports about staff or membership. It can sound hierarchical; employees or members may be more neutral in direct communication.

Example sentences

  1. The rank and file wanted practical training, while executives focused on the launch date.

    The phrase separates ordinary employees from executives.

  2. Support from the rank and file helped the union committee negotiate the revised shifts.

    The ordinary membership backs its elected representatives.

Common collocations

  • the rank and file
  • support from the rank and file
  • colleagueA person you work with, especially someone in the same company or the same profession as you.
  • company policyAn official rule or set of rules that guides how employees should act in particular situations at work.

More terms: Company Structure

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