Employee Definition:

Employees are people who have been recruited by an employer, often known as the person or company they work for, to execute tasks for them. 

Other elements that contribute to someone becoming an employee include: 

  • The individual is employed by the business and is paid a certain salary or rate. 
  • The person is qualified for the employer’s benefits and other privileges. 
  • a signed or implicit employment contract 
  • The person’s rights of payment and employment are protected by the law.
Employee Definition and Types

6 Types of Employees 

Employers may choose to employ one or more types of employees from among the several employee classifications. 

The following are the most typical staff classifications: 

  1. Part-time employees 
  2. Full-time employees 
  3. Seasonal employees 
  4. Temporary workers 
  5. Leased employees 
  6. Part-time employees 

1. Part-time Employees

They are those who put in fewer than 40 hours per week and are usually compensated hourly rather than on a salary basis. 

Despite not necessarily being entitled to benefits, these workers are still regarded as legitimate employees of the organization.

Read- Complete Guide on How to Make Money on Fiverr.

2. Full-time Employees 

Employees who work a minimum of 40 hours per week are considered full-timers and are entitled to benefits. 

Employers are free to choose how they categorize full-time employment inside their companies because the Fair Labor Standards Act does not define part-time or full-time employees. 

Businesses with 50 or more full-time workers must provide Health insurance to their full-time employees and their dependents.

Read- How to create an invoice in Excel – What Startups Should Know.

3. Seasonal Employees

Employers hire seasonal workers based on their seasonal labour requirements. For instance, a retail shop might hire 10 seasonal workers to handle the surge in demand during busy times like the summer and holidays.

4. Temporary Employees

Those hired temporarily, usually for a predetermined length of time, such as six months, are referred to as temporary employees. 

They might also be engaged to work on a particular project only, leaving the organization after it is finished. 

To find temporary employees who meet their needs, employers can either hire them directly or use a staffing agency. 

5. Leased Employees 

An individual who is employed by a staffing firm and afterwards “leased” to a company to carry out a certain task is known as a leased employee. 

Employees who are leased often spend a year or more with the business to which they are leased.

Although still considered employees, leased workers are paid by the staffing agency, which also administers their benefits, rather than the company they are hired to work for. 

Best Practices Startups Should Know and Utilize on Employees 

Full-time employees

  1. Building a relationship and understanding their priorities helps full-time employees prioritize the organization 
  2. Set Specific Expectations and Goals 
  3. Always be open to receiving feedback 

Part-time workers 

  1. Consider their need for flexibility 
  2. Give the tools and resources required 
  3. Maintain Open Lines of Communication and Provide Opportunities for Advancement 
  4. Involve them during regular meetings 
  5. Don’t confine part-timers to specific positions 

Seasonal workers

  1. Begin hiring early
  2.  treat them similarly to full-time staff, 
  3. Don’t skimp on training 
  4. Be clear about expectations. 

Temporary Workers

  1. Position them for Success 
  2. Give and solicit feedback. 
  3. Make Every Effort to Learn From Them.

What are Contingent Employees? 

Contingent workers are people who are hired on a temporary, non-employee basis by a company to carry out certain tasks. They may work on-site or remotely, but they are not regarded as corporate employees. 

As experts in their fields, contingent workers are hired to accomplish specific projects based on their skill set. Freelancers, consultants, and independent contractors are a few examples of contingent employees.

A statement of work is frequently agreed upon at the beginning of the engagement with a company, and contingent workers frequently work under it. 

The employee will stop working for the company after a project. However, if a corporation is pleased with a contingent worker’s performance, it may continue to use that person on subsequent projects. 

What Distinguishes Contingent Workers from Employees? 

There are a few significant ways that contingent workers differ from regular employees, they include: 

  1. No company-provided benefits, such as health insurance, are available to contingent workers. 
  2. Contingent workers are not paid a salary
  3. Contingent workers must pay and file their own taxes with the FIRS. 
  4. Contingent employees are in charge of when and how they complete their tasks.

4 Types of Contingent Employees 

The following are typical contingent worker categories that people and businesses hire: 

  1. Contract employees 
  2. Independent contractors
  3. Interns 
  4. Consultants 

1. Contract employees 

A person hired by a company for a predetermined amount of time to carry out a particular responsibility or task is known as a contract worker. The contract worker’s compensation is similarly predetermined and may be paid before, during, or following completion of the job.

2. Independent contractors 

A company hires an independent contractor to carry out tasks or provide services. For the business, independent contractors may work permanently, on a specific project, or an ‘as-needed’ basis. 

These employees are in charge of paying their taxes and are not qualified for any benefits from the employers for which they work. 

Subcontractors, freelancers, and contractors are all terms that can be used to describe independent contractors. Actors, freelance writers, and auctioneers are a few examples of independent contractors. 

3. Interns 

A person who works for a business on a paid, unpaid or partially paid basis in exchange for the gained work experience is known as an intern.

Internships are a common way for high school and university students to be ready for their future jobs. 

Most internships last for a few months, after which time the employer may ask some interns to join the team as full-time employees. 

4. Consultants 

A consultant is a self-employed person who provides qualified counsel in their field of specialization. 

For instance, a consultant might be an expert in marketing, law, or education and offer businesses advice from that field to assist the business advance in those particular fields. 

Based on the organization’s consulting needs, a corporation may frequently use consultants, who offer their skills temporarily.

Conclusion

As every organization is different, the types of employees to hire—and how many—will also vary. However, by having the ideal balance of employee types and being fully aware of their distinctions, and may increase business productivity. 

You may also safeguard yourself from labour disputes, and more easily manage changes in your company’s needs and strategy as well as in the larger labour market.

Author

Hi, I am Chidimma, the Chief Editor of StartupSpot. I hold a bachelor's degree in Business Education (with a major in Accounting) from the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka, Anambra State, Nigeria and online certifications in Digital Marketing by SEMRUSH Academy. Startupspot was therefore born (in 2021) out of my passion to reach startups, small businesses and a greater audience to educate them about startups, the challenges facing startups and how to manage their finances. I also wish to educate people (especially women) to attain financial independence. I hope you find the contents useful, and should you need further help, I hope you ‌reach me.