Employee and Employer

Who Is An “Employee”?

An employee is a person who works for a company/employer. An employee is usually a person hired to fill a specific position. They go through an application and interview process for that specific job. An employee can work for an employer on a part-time or full-time basis, and the employer pays the employee for services rendered. In contrast, a contractor usually fulfills their or her duties on a freelance basis and does not usually have an employer per se.

In order to be classified as an employee, a person needs to be paid for his or her services by an employer with an employment contract with the employee.

It is important that an employee and employer maintain a professional working relationship and that they do not transgress this boundary. Starting romantic relationships or becoming too friendly in a relationship between an employee and employer can have a severely negative impact on the business, and most companies will have policies against such relationships.

The employee depends on the employer to be paid their salary on time, so the employer promises to financially support the employee according to the bounds of the employment contract. However, both the employer and employee depend on one another to ensure that the business runs smoothly and that business goals are met.

The employer needs to maintain a healthy relationship with every employee, and this is best achieved through healthy workplace cultures and open communication. An employee who knows where they stand in their position will perform better. They know to perform specific tasks for their position, they know the standards expected of their position, they know their agreed salary, and know that their compensation is reliable. If they receive a good salary and other benefits, they are also more likely to be loyal to the business, and their productivity will likely be higher than someone who is uncertain in their position.

Who Is An “Employer”?

An employer is someone who hires employees; occasionally, a business can also be defined as an employer. An employer is also the person who fires employees. They can employ one or more people and is responsible for paying these people a salary for their services. The employer is usually responsible for all the employees that work under them.

The employer is generally responsible for:

• Establishing the culture of the organization
• Defining the employment terms of their employee.
• They hire people, pay their salaries, and fire them if needed.
• They often ensure that the organization has adequate cash flow to meet its financial requirements.
• They are the main authority for each employee in their department.
• They are responsible for the welfare of the employee in a professional capacity.

The employer sets the stage for how they expect each employee to act in their job. Their behavior needs to be a clear indication of what they expect from their staff. The employer sets the stage for how they want the work environment to be. Employers depend on their employees for goal achievement and service delivery. The employer needs to provide a clear expectation of the desired results of their job.

Although the employer is in a position of authority they should be familiar with each employee that works for them. Awareness of the interests and other concerns of the employee, mostly related to the office environment, is a useful management tool for an employer to have.

Main Difference between Employee and Employer

Understanding the key difference between employee and employer is important.

An employer:

• An employer hires employees.
• An employer pays salaries,
• The employer wants to ensure maximum productivity in the organization.
• The employer receives compensation from organizational profits.
• One big difference between employee and employer is the fact that the employer is responsible for the welfare of their employees.
• The employer is the figure of authority in the business and has responsibility over the employee.

An employee:

• An employee works for an employer who can be a person, company, or organization.
• The employee is responsible for their own professional growth.
• An employee also supports themselves and possibly their families financially.
• Employees receive an agreed-upon specific payment in the form of a salary for the services they provide.
• An employee takes on the responsibility of doing their job reliably and according to terms stipulated in their employment contract.
• The authority that employees have is a key difference between employee and employer as the employee is responsible for their own position and rarely takes responsibility for a fellow employee.

How Can An Employee and Employer Maintain a Healthy Relationship

Gratitude and Appreciation

Although the authoritative difference between employee and employer can be difficult to navigate, both the employer and employee need to maintain a sense of gratitude for the other. An employer must ensure that an employee feels appreciated and should receive acknowledgment of their work occasionally. The employer and the employee both contribute meaningfully to business growth, and this should adequately be acknowledged and respected.

Openness and Communication

A healthy work environment requires openness and communication between the employee and employer. An employer needs to show interest in an employee and their life. An employee can also expect a certain level of openness from their employer. Any sharing should still be done within the boundaries of a working relationship. It is essential that an employee feels comfortable communicating with employers when there are problems that might impact their job performance. The employee and employer should maintain mutual respect for one another, and when an employee receives a better opportunity elsewhere, it is important that the employer respect this.

Mutual Support

Although there is a lot of difference between employees and employers and their respective roles, an employee and employer should still support each other in the quest to reach not only their full professional potential but also their personal potential. This helps employers to create a sense of sense and encourages employees to achieve higher productivity. Employees also need to support the vision of the organization so that they can work towards achieving it. Understanding the goals that they are working towards and how important their roles are to these goals in the company can really motivate employees to be more dedicated to their jobs.

Mutual Dependency

Despite the difference between employees and employers, there is still a mutual dependency between employees and employers to achieve their goals and support the success of a company. An employee and employer depend on each other in different ways. An employer requires an employee to do their job to the best of their abilities. The employee relies on their employer for respect and fair pay. It can be extremely beneficial when a company can overcome the difference between employee and employer to that parties can work together and do their best in a supportive environment.