What is the difference between Staff, workers, workmen and employees?

Dear All, My Name is Himanshu. I am working as Sr. Officer - HR & ADMIN. I am eager to know What is the difference between Staff, workers, workmen and employees. Can anyone suggest or guide me about my above query?

Staff-all the people employed by a particular organization:

Workers- means a person 4[employed, directly or by or through any agency (including a contractor) with or without the knowledge of the principal employer, whether for remuneration or not], in any manufacturing process, or in cleaning any part of the machinery or premises used for a manufacturing process, or in any other kind of work incidental to, or connected with, the manufacturing process, or the subject of the manufacturing process 3 [but does not include any member of the armed forces of the Union];

Workmen-workman as any person (including an apprentice) employed in any industry to do any manual, unskilled, skilled, technical, operational, clerical or supervisory work, for hire or reward, terms of employment.

Employee-any person who is employed for hire or reward to do any work, skilled or unskilled, manual or clerical, in a scheduled employment in respect of which minimum rates of wages have been fixed; and includes an out-worker to whom any articles or materials are given out by another person to be made up, cleaned, washed, altered, ornamented, finished, repaired, adapted or otherwise processed for sale for the purposes of the trade or business of that other person where the process is to be carried out either in the home of the out-worker or in some other premises not being premises under the control and management of that other person; and also includes an employee declared to be an employee by the appropriate Government; but does not include any member of the Armed Forces of the 2*[Union].

But how you segregate between workmen, staff, employee..

as mention details does not clear the difference

Employee is an umbrella term inclusive of all the human resources in a firm, be it the top executive or the lowest level person. So, addressing "employees and managers'' is an inapt expression.
Worker or workmen is a legal term and it is defined in various legislations, for instance Factories Act 1948 defines worker as anybody found working in the establishment who is a part of the manufacturing process therein and it includes outsourced workmen too, ID Act 1947 defines workmen as those directly employed by the firm, so it has to be looked specifically with reference to that legislation. Both the terms are used interchangeably in ordinary parlance.
As regards staff, in management theory there existed a classification between line and staff functions. While line used to be those who are directly contributing to the principal activity of the firm (like production in a manufacturing organisation) and staff used to be those who are in an advisory function like Finance, HR, Security, Management service, etc. Now this distinction has disappeared.
The term staff is mostly used to refer to the people working in offices (White collar jobs).

Hi Himanshu,

The terms "staff," "workers," "workmen," and "employees" are often used interchangeably, but there can be subtle differences in their meanings depending on the context and jurisdiction. Here's a general overview:

Staff:
"Staff" is a broad term that generally refers to all the people employed in an organization, regardless of their specific roles or levels. It can include both managerial and non-managerial employees.
It encompasses everyone who works for the organization, including administrative personnel, managers, and other professionals.

Workers:
"Workers" is a more general term that includes all individuals who are engaged in some form of work or employment.
In some contexts, "workers" may be used to refer to employees at various levels within an organization, including both manual and non-manual workers.

Workmen:
"Workmen" is an older term that is often associated with manual or industrial labor. It is commonly used in the context of labor laws and collective bargaining agreements.
In many jurisdictions, "workmen" may specifically refer to individuals engaged in manual or physical work, often in industrial or manufacturing settings.

:Employees:-
"Employees" is a more formal and legal term that generally encompasses all individuals who work for an organization, irrespective of their role or level.
This term is often used in employment contracts, legal documents, and discussions related to labour laws.

It's important to note that the precise definitions of these terms can vary based on local labor laws, industry standards, and organizational policies. In some contexts, the use of specific terms may carry legal implications or may be defined in collective bargaining agreements. It's advisable to refer to the relevant legal documentation or seek guidance from legal professionals in your jurisdiction for a more precise understanding. Additionally, organizations may use these terms differently based on their own internal language and policies.

Thanks