Prepositions before nouns

“Of employee” or “for employee” with employee

Use of employee mainly to show possession or relationship in formal noun phrases. Use for employee to show benefit, purpose, or intended recipient.

Quick answer

Which preposition is correct with employee?

Both combinations are possible, but they mean different things. Of employee usually appears in formal structures such as rights of employees or records of an employee. For employee means intended for or benefiting an employee.

The company updated the records of the employee yesterday.
This parking area is reserved for employees only.
The manager discussed the safety concerns of employees at the meeting.

Choose the pattern by meaning

These forms are not interchangeable. Choose the construction by meaning, not by which preposition appears most often.

of + employee

Showing relationship or possession

Use of employee in formal noun phrases to connect a thing, quality, or action to an employee.

The contract of the employee was renewed.

We reviewed the performance of each employee carefully.

for + employee

Showing benefit or intended use

Use for employee when something is intended to help, support, or serve employees.

The company created a training programme for employees in sales.

There is a discount scheme for every employee at the hotel.

employee of + organisation

Naming someone's workplace

Use employee of to identify the company or organisation where someone works.

She is an employee of the bank.

He became an employee of a large software company in 2022.

See the difference in context

The same subject can take different constructions because each sentence answers a different question.

Construction

Example

Meaning

of employee

The rights of employees are protected by law.

Shows a relationship, quality, or possession connected to employees.

for employee

This guide is for new employees.

Shows intended users or beneficiaries.

employee of

She is an employee of the university.

Identifies the employer or organisation.

employee for

The agency hired an employee for the summer season.

For introduces a time period or purpose, not the employer.

Common mistakes

Some combinations appear in real text but do not mean what learners often assume.

Using for instead of of in possessive meanings

Use of when describing rights, records, or characteristics connected to employees.

✕ the records for the employee ✓ the records of the employee

Using of for intended users

Use for when something is designed to help or serve employees.

✕ a support programme of employees ✓ a support programme for employees

Forgetting the article with singular employee

Singular countable nouns usually need an article.

✓ an employee of the company

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. The company introduced a wellness programme ___ employees.

2. We checked the attendance records ___ the employee.

3. She is an employee ___ a major airline.

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Frequently asked questions

Is for employee always wrong?

No. It is correct when something is intended for or benefits an employee or employees.

Can I say employee of a company?

Yes. Employee of is the normal way to identify someone's employer.

Is of employee common without an article?

Usually no. English often uses of the employee or of employees instead.

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