In 15 Seconds
- To provide people with regular jobs and pay them.
- A professional way to say you have a team of workers.
- Used mainly in business, interviews, and formal planning contexts.
Meaning
This phrase describes the act of a business or person giving someone a job and paying them for their work. It is about the ongoing relationship of having people work for you.
Key Examples
3 of 6Talking about business growth
As our sales grow, we will need to employ staff to handle the extra work.
As our sales grow, we will need to hire workers to handle the extra work.
Describing a local business
That small bakery manages to employ staff from the local neighborhood.
That small bakery manages to give jobs to people from the local neighborhood.
A formal business meeting
We currently employ staff across three different continents.
We currently have workers in three different continents.
Cultural Background
In the UK, employing staff involves strict adherence to 'Employment Contracts' and 'Pensions Auto-enrolment'. Even small businesses must provide a workplace pension. The US often uses 'at-will employment', which means the relationship can be terminated easily. This makes the phrase 'employ staff' feel slightly more transactional than in Europe. The concept of 'Seishain' (permanent employee) is central. To employ staff in this category implies a very high level of commitment and social responsibility from the company. Germany has 'Mitbestimmung' (co-determination), where staff have a say in company decisions through works councils. Employing staff is seen as a partnership.
Use 'Staff' as a Collective
Remember that 'staff' is usually uncountable. Instead of 'many staffs', say 'many staff' or 'many staff members'.
Avoid 'Use' for People
Saying you 'use people' sounds like you are exploiting them. Always use 'employ' or 'hire' in a business context.
In 15 Seconds
- To provide people with regular jobs and pay them.
- A professional way to say you have a team of workers.
- Used mainly in business, interviews, and formal planning contexts.
What It Means
To employ staff means you are the boss. You give people jobs. You pay them a salary. It is more than just hiring someone once. It describes the state of having people work for your company. Think of it as the 'professional' way to say you have a team.
How To Use It
You use this phrase when talking about business growth. It usually follows a verb like need to, plan to, or continue to. For example, 'We need to employ staff who speak Spanish.' It sounds polished and organized. It is great for business plans or talking to a bank manager. You can also use it when complaining about how expensive it is to be a boss!
When To Use It
Use it in professional settings. It is perfect for job interviews. Use it when writing a business email. It works well when discussing the economy. If you are starting a small cafe, tell your friends you need to employ staff. It makes your little cafe sound like a real, serious business. It shows you are taking responsibility for others.
When NOT To Use It
Do not use it for quick, one-time tasks. If someone fixes your sink, you do not employ staff. You just 'hired a plumber.' Avoid it in very casual slang-heavy chats. Don't say it to your toddler about cleaning their room. It sounds too corporate for a messy bedroom! Also, do not use it if you are the one getting the job. You are the 'staff,' not the one 'employing.'
Cultural Background
In English-speaking cultures, 'staff' is a collective noun. It feels like a unified team. Using the word employ suggests a legal and stable relationship. It implies you are following the rules and paying taxes. In places like the UK or USA, 'employing staff' is seen as a big milestone for a small business. It means you have 'made it.' It is a sign of success and stress all at once!
Common Variations
You will often hear hire staff or recruit staff. Hire is a bit more common in daily speech. Recruit sounds like you are searching for experts. Take on staff is a very common British English variation. It sounds a bit more active and physical. All of them mean you are growing your team.
Usage Notes
This is a neutral-to-formal collocation. It is most common in business writing, news reports, and professional discussions about the labor market.
Use 'Staff' as a Collective
Remember that 'staff' is usually uncountable. Instead of 'many staffs', say 'many staff' or 'many staff members'.
Avoid 'Use' for People
Saying you 'use people' sounds like you are exploiting them. Always use 'employ' or 'hire' in a business context.
Formal vs. Informal
In a casual bar, say 'I've got a few people working for me.' In a bank, say 'I employ staff.'
Examples
6As our sales grow, we will need to employ staff to handle the extra work.
As our sales grow, we will need to hire workers to handle the extra work.
Shows the phrase used for future planning.
That small bakery manages to employ staff from the local neighborhood.
That small bakery manages to give jobs to people from the local neighborhood.
Highlights the community aspect of giving jobs.
We currently employ staff across three different continents.
We currently have workers in three different continents.
Used to show the scale of a large company.
Is it time to employ staff for the new office?
Is it time to hire people for the new office?
A slightly formal phrase used in a casual medium.
I thought it would be easy to employ staff, but now I'm just a full-time babysitter!
I thought hiring people would be easy, but now I'm just a babysitter!
Uses the formal phrase to contrast with a funny reality.
We want to continue to employ staff, but the budget is very tight this year.
We want to keep our workers, but we have very little money this year.
Shows the emotional weight of being responsible for people's jobs.
Test Yourself
Complete the sentence with the correct form of 'employ staff'.
The new hospital is expected to _______ over 200 _______ by next year.
We use the base form 'employ' after 'expected to' and 'staff' as the collective noun.
Which sentence is grammatically correct?
Choose the best option:
'Staff' is used as a collective noun and doesn't need an article or an 's' when counting individuals in this way.
Match the phrase to the most appropriate context.
Where would you most likely hear 'We need to employ staff'?
This is a formal business phrase used in professional settings like board meetings.
Fill in the missing line.
A: 'How is your new business going?' B: 'Great! We've just reached the point where we need to _______.'
After 'need to', we use the infinitive form 'employ'.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Employ vs. Hire
Practice Bank
4 exercisesThe new hospital is expected to _______ over 200 _______ by next year.
We use the base form 'employ' after 'expected to' and 'staff' as the collective noun.
Choose the best option:
'Staff' is used as a collective noun and doesn't need an article or an 's' when counting individuals in this way.
Where would you most likely hear 'We need to employ staff'?
This is a formal business phrase used in professional settings like board meetings.
A: 'How is your new business going?' B: 'Great! We've just reached the point where we need to _______.'
After 'need to', we use the infinitive form 'employ'.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
10 questionsIt is a collective noun. In the UK, it can be both ('the staff are' or 'the staff is'). In the US, it is usually singular ('the staff is').
It's better to say 'I employ staff' (general) or 'I have a staff of five' (specific). 'I employ a staff' sounds slightly incomplete.
'Staff' is more collective (the whole group), while 'employees' focuses on the individuals.
No, it is perfectly fine for any business, but 'have people working for me' is more common in very casual talk.
Yes, but it sounds very formal. Most people would say 'We have a nanny' or 'We hired a nanny.'
The opposite is 'to lay off staff' or 'to fire staff'.
Usually, no. 'Employ' implies a formal contract and payroll. Freelancers are 'contracted' or 'hired for a project'.
Use 'employed staff'. For example: 'Last year, we employed staff for the first time.'
'Employing staff' is the gerund (action), while 'employment of staff' is a more formal noun phrase used in legal titles.
Yes! You can say 'The staffs of both shops are meeting today.'
Related Phrases
take on staff
similarTo hire new people.
recruit personnel
specialized formThe formal process of finding and hiring people.
lay off staff
contrastTo stop employing people because there is no work.
staffing levels
builds onThe number of people employed.
