Strategies to Increase Workforce in Frostpunk 2

To maintain efficient operations throughout all districts in Frostpunk 2’s New London, your workforce is just as crucial as the heat you provide. If you start losing workers due to harsh conditions or other issues, swiftly replacing them becomes essential. Here’s a useful guide on how to increase your workforce in Frostpunk 2.

How to Increase Your Workforce in Frostpunk 2

Workforce submenu in Frostpunk 2 — Screenshot by Pro Game Guides

Upon arriving in New London at the outset of Chapter 1, you’ll start with several thousand workers ready to perform various tasks, from clearing the surrounding tundra to constructing districts, researching new ideas, exploring the Frostlands, and maintaining heat.

As time passes, especially during the brutal volcanic winter (e.g., Whiteouts), managing your workforce becomes the primary focus. Not only do your workers create essential resources, but keeping them alive ensures low Tension and high Trust.

Unfortunately, the relentless cold will take some of your workers, and as your city’s population expands alongside its demands, you’ll find a growing need for more labor. Fortunately, there are several tactics to increase your workforce—though it’s wise to use these sparingly and only when necessary. For example, inviting every possible worker into the city just before a Whiteout could lead to tragic losses during the extreme cold.

Passive Population Growth

The first method of attracting additional workers is actually passive. As you develop the city further, new citizens will arrive periodically—generally around a thousand at a time. You will receive a notification, and your workforce count will increase accordingly.

Be cautious of population surges, as demands can quickly escalate if you’re not adequately prepared.

Recruit Workers from the Frostlands

Frozen Sea Frostland expedition in Frostpunk 2 — Screenshot by Pro Game Guides

For more direct recruitment of workers, consider venturing into the Frostlands. You’ll need to construct at least one Logistics District at one of New London’s three Old Waystations. This will allow you to form Frostlander teams tasked with undertaking expeditions in the areas surrounding New London. The more Logistics Districts you build, the more Frostlander teams you will have at your disposal.

After establishing these districts, send your teams to areas indicating a population available for recruitment. Regions like the Frozen Sea and The Meadow will show variable worker counts, marked by a blue person icon (as depicted above). Once you decide to invite them, they will journey to the city, and a HUD notification will confirm their arrival.

However, some population centers in the Frostlands may come with risks attached when recruiting. Certain areas will be flagged with a Dangerous Threat Level, meaning sending Frostlander teams there could jeopardize their safety. To mitigate this risk, consider building a Scout’s Headquarters to reduce Threat Levels.

For instance, the Wise Women from the southern Highlands are viewed as adversaries by the Stalwarts, and recruiting them could negatively affect your Relations.

Request Workers from Devoted Factions

Lastly, while not the most consistent method for increasing your workforce in Frostpunk 2, you can leverage your Devoted relations with one of the four Factions. Occasionally, you may be presented with an option where your Devoted Faction wishes to provide additional support to the city, which can include offering more workers.

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