workers

Workers are individuals who perform work to produce goods and services in exchange for financial compensation or, in some cases, other forms of payment. In most economies, workers are part of the labor force, including employees, self-employed, and contract workers. The term also encompasses informal workers who lack formal contracts or social protections.

Workers operate in all sectors—agriculture, industry, services, and knowledge-based activities—and range from manual labor to professional and managerial roles. Tasks can be organized by employers, cooperatives, or individual entrepreneurs.

Rights and protections: Labor laws regulate hours, minimum wage, safety, and anti-discrimination. Unions and collective bargaining can negotiate wages and conditions; social protections such as unemployment insurance and pensions support workers when out of work.

Labor market dynamics: Employment depends on demand for goods and services, technology, and education. Productivity growth can raise wages and living standards. Globalization and automation have reshaped job opportunities, while the rise of gig and platform work has expanded nontraditional arrangements.

Demographics and statistics: The workforce composition varies by country and over time, with differences in gender, age, immigrant status, and hours worked. In statistics, the labor force includes employed and unemployed people actively seeking work; those not seeking work are outside the labor force.