Not having enough workers or employees to do the job properly or efficiently.
From 'under-' (insufficient) and 'staffed' (having staff). This is a modern compound word that became common in the 20th century as organizations grew complex.
During the pandemic, suddenly everyone understood what 'understaffed' meant—when schools, hospitals, and stores didn't have enough people, everything fell apart. The word describes a hidden infrastructure crisis we usually ignore until it breaks.
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